Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyze the parasitic fauna of dead white storks in nesting sites in different parts of Poland and the associated histopathological changes. Samples from thirty-eight white storks aged 3 weeks to 5 years were examined after their arrival at a stork sanctuary. The presence of Cathaemasia hians, Chaunocephalus ferox, Choanotaenia infundibulum, Railletina tetragona and Syngamus trachea was confirmed in 17 out of 38 (47.73 %) individuals. Cathaemasia hians and Chaunocephalus ferox flukes are not endemic to the studied area. The frequency of C. ferox was significantly higher in the youngest storks from group I (3–4 weeks old) compared to groups II (11–15 weeks old) and III (older than 2 years). Fluke eggs were only detected with sedimentation method in three samples (group III), while no adult flukes at all were found in the intestines. Chaunocephalus ferox was shown to be the most common pathogen in all storks studied when compared to other parasites. A histopathological examination of the jejunum and ileum revealed atherosclerotic changes in the muscular layer, lymphoid infiltration in the mucosa, the presence of adult flukes of C. hians and C. ferox in the intestinal lumen, and lymphoid infiltration in the muscular layer. Intense lymphoid infiltration in the mucosa was also observed in storks whose intestines were heavily infested with R. tetragona and C. infundibulum. Parasitic infections compromise the birds’ health status and affect the duration of flights, and they can increase the risk of other diseases.
Highlights
The white stork (Ciconia ciconia) is one of the 19 species of the family Ciconiidae
The frequency of appearance of C. ferox was significantly higher in storks from group I compared to storks from groups II and III (p = 0.0009)
According to Merino et al (2001), C. hians requires a warm climate to complete its life cycle, which is why these parasites infest storks migrating to wintering grounds
Summary
The white stork (Ciconia ciconia) is one of the 19 species of the family Ciconiidae. The global stork population is estimated at 200,000 pairs (Choe et al 2016). Storks usually return to Poland from their wintering grounds in March They breed in Poland and migrate to southern Africa in the second half of August (Tryjanowski et al 2018). Migrating storks cover a distance of 10,000 to 12,000 km and travel as much as 500 km in a single day. The date of their arrival in nesting sites is determined by ambient temperature (Kruszewicz & Czujkowska 2006). Recent years have witnessed a decline in the stork population in nesting sites. This decrease can be attributed to habitat change, excessive pesticide use, electrocution and traffic accidents (BirdLife International 2012). It is believed that parasites directly influence the flight ability of birds, in particular young individuals, premature hatchlings and older birds with chronic parasitic infections (Romaniuk 2016)
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