Experimental transfer of Trichomonas gallinae (Rivolta, 1878) from white-winged doves to mourning doves.

Abstract

Isolates of Trichomonas gallinae (Rivolta, 1878) from white-winged doves, Zenaida asiatica (L.), were transferred experimentally to young mourning doves, Zenaida macroura (L.). Twenty-three of 25 mourning doves developed infections with isolates of T. gallinae from 25 white-winged doves. In addition, eight of eight rock doves (Columba livia Gmelin) were infected with duplicate isolates. All infected recipient birds harbored avirulent isolates except for one mourning dove which died from extensive oral lesions. However, repeated attempts using this isolate of T. gallinae to produce lesions in additional recipients were unsuccessful. Despite the findings of this study, it was suggested that future dove management strategies consider the possibility of disease outbreaks involving white-winged doves and susceptible populations of mourning doves.