Parasites from farmed ostriches (Struthio camelus) and rheas (Rhea americana) in Europe

F. Ponce Gordo

,a

, S. Herrerab, 1, A. T. Castroa, B. Garca Durna and R. A. Martnez Dazb

Departamento de Parasitologa, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Pza.

Ramn y Cajal s/n, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
b

Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autnoma de Madrid,

Avenue Arzobispo Morcillo s/n, 28029 Madrid, Spain
Received 8 November 2001;
revised 18 March 2002;
accepted 5 April 2002.
Available online 24 May 2002.

Abstract
During a 4-year-period, more than 500 ostriches and several rheas, all born in European countries
and raised in Spain and Portugal, have been analyzed for the presence of ectoparasites and
endoparasites. A total of 29 parasite species have been found, most of them of the
gastrointestinal tract. Some of the helminth species found may represent spureous parasitosis, as
only the eggs (of an ascarid and a trematode) were found in some samples. From the organisms
identified, the ectoparasites (liceStruthiolipeurus rheae, S. nandu; mitesDermoglyphus
pachycnemis, Gabucinia bicaudata), helminths (cestodaHouttuynia struthionis- and nematoda
Libyostrongylus sp., Codiostomum struthionis-) and the ciliate Balantidium struthionis are known
as ratite specific parasites. Capillaria eggs and larvae were also found; there are no previous
records of this parasite from ostriches, and the data available do not allow to do a temptative
specific diagnosis. Among protozoa, most of the species now found are described for the first time
in ratites. They include organisms also found in other birds (Trichomonas gallinae,
Tetratrichomonas gallinarum, Chilomastix gallinarum, Spironucleus meleagridis and Pleuromonas
jaculans), and organisms whose specific status cannot be established until further analysis are
performed (Cryptosporidium sp., Eimeria sp. and/or Isospora sp., Entamoeba sp. of the onenucleate and of the eight-nucleate mature cyst groups, Endolimax sp., Iodamoeba sp.,
Monocercomonas sp., Retortamonas sp., Giardia sp., Blastocystis sp. and euglenids).
Author Keywords: Ostrich; Rhea; Europe; Ectoparasites; Helminths; Protozoa