A case of nodular enteritis due to Chaunocephalus ferox in a white stork (Ciconia ciconia) in Bulgaria

Abstract

The present report describes a case of chaunocephalosis due to Chaunocephalus ferox in a white stork (Ciconia ciconia) in Bulgaria. On July 2017, a malnourished and debilitated adult white stork was found in a field near Stara Zagora city. The bird was caught and transported to the Wildlife Rescue Center of Green Balkans organisation, with history of weakness, severe watery diarrhoea, loss of appetite, and cachexia. The stork died several hours after admission. The corpse was referred to the Department of General and Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Trakia University where post-mortem examination was performed. The necropsy revealed the presence of multifocal to coalescing mural intestinal nodular circumscribed lesions affecting all portions of the intestinal tract, most prominent and numerous in the jejuno-ileal segment. When sectioned, the nodules contained either single, or 2 to 3 small flattened tadpole-like trematodes which were identified as Ch. ferox. Histologically, a total traumatic destruction with ulceration and necroses of intestinal tissue layers were found at the site of fluke penetration. The trematodes also formed a marked granulomatous inflammatory reaction with inflammatory cellular infiltrate, consisting mainly of heterophilic and pseudoeosinophilic leukocytes, lymphocytes and histiocytes. In the area of infection, the intestinal villi and mucosa were totally eroded, and the surrounding mucosal crypts were distended by necrotic detritus.