Abstract
AbstractNorthern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus), a popular gamebird among hunters, have been declining over recent decades in the Rolling Plains ecoregion. Investigations in the past few years have revealed a high prevalence of eyeworms (Oxyspirura petrowi) and caecal worms (Aulonocephalus pennula) in this ecoregion, prompting a need to better understand their host–parasite interaction and other factors that influence infection. In this study, the efficiency of a mobile laboratory was tested by deploying it to three field sites in the Rolling Plains between July and August of 2017 and collecting cloacal swabs from bobwhites. The DNA was extracted from swabs for quantitative PCR and was run in the mobile and reference laboratory to specifically detectA. pennulaandO. petrowiinfection. When compared with the Wildlife Toxicology's reference laboratory, the mobile laboratory had a 97 and 99% agreement forA. pennulaandO. petrowi, respectively. There were no significant differences in infection levels between field sites. Due to its efficiency, it is proposed that the mobile laboratory would be an effective way to monitor infection levels, in addition to factors that may affect infection such as climate, diapause, and intermediate host populations.
Highlights
The northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus, hereafter: bobwhite) is a highly popular gamebird in Texas and have a large economic impact on local communities (Johnson et al, 2012)
O. petrowi is a heteroxenous nematode that is usually located under the eyelid and nictitating membrane (Saunders, 1935; Jackson, 1969), inside the lacrimal duct and gland (Robel et al, 2003), and in the orbital cavity (Addison and Anderson, 1969) of their avian hosts (Dunham and Kendall, 2017)
Sample results for A. pennula were similar overall between the reference and mobile laboratories (Table 1)
Summary
The northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus, hereafter: bobwhite) is a highly popular gamebird in Texas and have a large economic impact on local communities (Johnson et al, 2012). OID investigated many different aspects that may have affected bobwhite including parasites, environmental contaminants and habitat conditions During this collaborative effort in 29 counties of the Rolling Plains, the eyeworm (Oxyspirura petrowi) was identified in 40% of collected bobwhite specimens (Dunham et al, 2016a). Xiang et al (2013) and Kalyanasundaram et al (2018a) identified Loa loa as a relative to O. petrowi This eyeworm is known to infect humans in central Africa and hosts have reported vision impairment and inflammation when infected (Barua et al, 2005; Nayak et al, 2016). This is exemplified in numerous reports of bobwhites being disoriented and colliding with fences, buildings and other stationary objects (Jackson, 1969; Brym et al, 2018)
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