Occurrence of Cryptosporidium hominis in pigeons (Columba livia)

Abstract

This study demonstrated the presence of Cryptosporidium hominis in pigeons for the first time. Previously, C. hominis had been cited only in another bird species, Branta canadiensis. The present findings suggest that pigeons may act as mechanical vectors for this protozoan. © 2009 Versita Warsaw and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.