Racing pigeon competitions are a popular sport where success depends on birds’ ability to return fast to their loft of origin. However, many additional factors like differences in feeding, training, everyday care and even geographical loft location influence race outcomes, which has led to the development of the One Loft Race (OLR) system. The OLR system aims to eliminate these factors by housing pigeons from various lofts in equal conditions in one facility. This in turn, however, fosters inter-individual transmission of pathogens.

Introduction: Genotype VI of avian avulavirus 1 (AAvV-1) has pigeons and doves as its reservoir and is often termed pigeon paramyxovirus type-1 (PPMV-1). The pathogenesis of PPMV-1 infections in poultry is largely obscure. It is known that PPMV-1 requires a series of passages in chickens before it becomes adapted to gallinaceous poultry.

Besides the yield loss of the pigeons those are infested with ectoparasites they are also susceptible against the other infections because of weakened immunity. Thus it has been evaluated the situation of ectoparasites of domestic pigeons and determined the prevalance in Antakya region. Materials and Totally 100 domestic pigeons (Columba livia domestica) which are fed for hobby in Antakya region were examined with respect of ectoparasites. The prevalance of ectoparasites of domestic pigeons has been determined and identified according to the literature.The prevalance of ectoparasites of domestic pigeons was determined as 52% and three different ectoparasites were detected. Columbicola columbae was the dominant species with a percentage of 45%, Argas reflexus and Pseudolynchia canariensis were also dedected with a percentage of 5% and 2%, respectively. Despite the higher percentage of infestation in female pigeons (54,5%) when compared with males (48,9%) and adults (56,9%) when compared with juveniles (42,9%) no significant difference was found statistically (p>0.05). But louse infestation of adult pigeons (58,3%) was significantly higher than the juvenile pigeons (28,5%) statistically (p<0.05).The yield and perfomance loss in domestic pigeons should not be ruled out. Therefore hygien of shelters and ventilation is crucially important. Ectoparasiter situation should be monitorized and gotten under controlled.

The prevalence rate of bacterial isolates of public health importance in pigeons was (28.16%). The incidence of bacterial pathogens differed according to health status of examined pigeons and ages either squabs or adults, as it gave the higher incidence in freshly dead squabs (33.33%) and in adults (28.57%) followed by diseased squabs (31.03%) and adults (26.67%) then finally slaughtered pigeons (25.56%). There was a wide range of bacterial pathogens isolated from nasal and cloacal swabs of diseased pigeons including C. jejuni, Citrobacter freundii, D. pneumoniae, E. coli, K. oxytoca, K. pneumoniae, Mannheimia haemolytica, P. aeruginosa, Salmonella spp, S. aureus and Y. enterocolitica. There were variations between the incidence and the species of pathogens isolated from cloacal and nasal swabs either in squabs or in adults K. oxytoca, Mannheimia haemolytica and Y. enterocolitica never isolated from adult. It was appeared that the deaths usually occurred due to combination of more than one bacterium. On the examination of internal organs slaughtered pigeons, there were differences in the incidences of bacterial isolation form different organs. Serological identification of most prevalent isolates revealed 5 Salmonella serovars including, 3 P. aeruginosa serogroups and 6 E. coli serogroups. All examined pathogens were sensitive to enrofloxacin followed by gentamicin then ciprofloxacin. In contrast, streptomycin then erythromycin and colistin sulphate showed the lowest effect. Among the isolates tested, P. aeruginosa was resistant to the most used antibiotics..Most isolated strains of E. coli, P. aeruginosa, Salmonella spp. and Y. enterocolitica from pigeons were elaborating enterotoxin. S. paratyphi A and S typhimurium var. copenhagen were 100% enterotoxigenic followed by S. typhimurium(83.33%) , E. coli O8 and Ps. aeruginosa I (75%) in each. On other hand, lower enterotoxin production was observed in Ps. aeruginosa A (46.15%) and E. coli O111 (44.44%).

OBJECTIVE To evaluate mechanical properties of pigeon (Columba livia) cadaver intact humeri versus ostectomized humeri stabilized with a locking or nonlocking plate. SAMPLE 30 humeri from pigeon cadavers. PROCEDURES Specimens were allocated into 3 groups and tested in bending and torsion. Results for intact pigeon humeri were compared with results for ostectomized humeri repaired with a titanium 1.6-mm screw locking plate or a stainless steel 1.5-mm dynamic compression plate; the ostectomized humeri mimicked a fracture in a thin cortical bone. Locking plates were secured with locking screws (2 bicortical and 4 monocortical), and nonlocking plates were secured with bicortical nonlocking screws. Constructs were cyclically tested nondestructively in 4-point bending and then tested to failure in bending. A second set of constructs were cyclically tested non-destructively and then to failure in torsion. Stiffness, strength, and strain energy of each construct were compared. RESULTS Intact specimens were stiffer and stronger than the repair groups for all testing methods, except for nonlocking constructs, which were significantly stiffer than intact specimens under cyclic bending. Intact bones had significantly higher strain energies than locking plates in both bending and torsion. Locking and nonlocking plates were of equal strength and strain energy, but not stiffness, in bending and were of equal strength, stiffness, and strain energy in torsion. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results for this study suggested that increased torsional strength may be needed before bone plate repair can be considered as the sole fixation method for avian species.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and safety of gastroscopy and biopsy of the proventriculus and ventriculus in pigeons (Columba livia). ANIMALS 15 adult pigeons. PROCEDURES Each pigeon was anesthetized, and the upper gastrointestinal tract (from the cervical portion of the esophagus to the ventriculus) was endoscopically evaluated by use of a rigid endoscope inserted orally. Saline (0.9% NaCl) solution was orally infused to achieve lumen dilation and visibility. Two mucosal biopsy specimens were collected from each of the proventriculus and ventriculus, histologically evaluated, and graded for crush artifacts and depth. Pigeons were monitored for adverse effects for 3 to 6 days after the procedure, after which they were euthanized for necropsy. RESULTS Gastroscopy via the oral approach provided excellent visibility of the lumen and mucosal surfaces of the proventriculus and cranial portion of the ventriculus and was safe provided that appropriate precautions were taken. Two intraoperative deaths occurred at the beginning of the study; following procedure refinement, no additional deaths occurred. No major adverse effects of the procedure were detected in the remaining 13 pigeons during the postoperative monitoring period or at necropsy. Diagnostic quality of proventriculus specimens was adequate for 10 of 13 pigeons. Eight of 13 ventriculus specimens were of inadequate quality, and only 3 were of adequate quality. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Gastroscopy was useful for evaluating the lumen and mucosal surface of the proventriculus and ventriculus in pigeons, and biopsy of those organs was safely performed with the appropriate technique. Further evaluation of these techniques is needed in birds with clinical disease and birds of other species.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the pharmacokinetics of a single oral dose of trazodone and its effect on the activity of domestic pigeons (Columba livia). ANIMALS: 6 healthy adult male domestic pigeons. PROCEDURES: During the first of 3 experiments, birds received orally administered trazodone at doses ranging from 3 to 30 mg/kg to determine the dose for subsequent experiments. During the second experiment, each bird received 1 dose of trazodone (30 mg/kg, PO). Blood was collected for determination of plasma trazodone concentration before and at predetermined times for 24 hours after drug administration. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by noncompartmental analysis. During experiment 3, birds were instrumented with ultralightweight accelerometers and received orally administered trazodone (30 mg/kg) or an equal volume of water twice at a 48-hour interval. Activity of birds was monitored for 24 hours after administration of each treatment. RESULTS: No adverse effects were observed. Mean ± SD terminal half-life of trazodone was 5.65 ± 1.75 hours. Plasma trazodone concentrations remained > 0.130 μg/mL for approximately 20 hours. Trazodone did not affect the activity of birds during the first 2 and 15 hours after administration. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggested that oral administration of 1 dose (30 mg/kg) of trazodone to healthy pigeons was safe and resulted in plasma drug concentrations that were similar to those considered therapeutic in humans and dogs for up to 20 hours. Further research is necessary to characterize the pharmacokinetics for repeated doses as well as the clinical effects of trazodone in birds with behavior problems.

Avian coccidiosis is an important parasitic disease affecting poultry and causes high economic losses in poultry industry, which acts as an important sector in the Egyptian national income. It is caused by genus Eimeria that belongs to subphylum apicomplexa. It affects domestic pigeons causing great losses, particularly in squabs. So, this study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of Eimeria species infecting domestic pigeons (Columbia livia) in Minia province. Intestines of 400 domestic pigeons collected from various poultry butcher shops as well as 103 pooled fecal samples of household pigeons were microscopically examined by the flotation technique. The recovered oocysts were morphologically identified. The overall prevalence of Eimeria species infection was 27.0% (108/400) and 72.82% (75/103) in the intestinal and pooled fecal samples respectively. Seasonally, the highest infection rate in the pooled fecal samples was in both spring and autumn (80.0%), while the lowest was in summer (56.0%). Meanwhile, the infection rate of the intestinal samples was the highest in winter (33.33%) and the lowest in autumn (20.0%). Moreover, The monthly infection rate of intestinal samples revealed that September and April had the highest rates;(55.0% and 41.62%). However, no infection rates were found in October and November, while monthly infection rate of fecal samples recorded that January and February showed 100% infection rate. Meanwhile, March and August, showed the lowest rate of infection 28.57% and 42.86% respectively. The morphological identification revealed the presence of four Eimeria species, Eimeria labbeana, E. columbarum E.columbae and E.labbeana-like, in pigeons in Minia province. Further studies are recommended to investigate the life cycle and molecular differentiation of Eimeria species infecting domestic birds.

Ever since infectious bursal disease (IBD) was recognised in Nigeria over forty years ago, it continues to pose a threat to poultry production with limited information on the likely role of other avian species especially those raised in close proximity with chickens. For this study, blood samples were obtained from184 unvaccinated apparently healthy birds comprised of Japanese quails (63) andindigenous chickens (60) on smallholdings as well as pigeons (61) in a live-bird market in Osun and Oyo states, southwest Nigeria.Sera from these birds were analysed for IBD virus antibodies using a commercial ELISA kit. Overall, 69 (37.5%) sera were positive for IBDV with 52.8% (65/184) and 6.6% (4/184)from birds on smallholdings and live-bird market, respectively. These findings indicate that these birds were sub-clinically infected and could serve as reservoirs shedding the virus into the environment and perhaps, corroborate the suggestion that the inability to effectively control or eradicate the disease from poultry flocks in Nigeria may be due to limited information on the contributions of other avian species other than chicken in the spread of IBD virus.

Feral pigeons (Columbia livia) can harbor a range of zoonotic pathogens. A transversal study was undertaken to estimate the prevalence of feral pigeons infected by various pathogens in public areas in Montreal, Quebec. Cloacal swabs from captured birds were cultured for Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. and tested by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the detection of Coxiella burnetii. An oropharyngeal swab was also submitted to real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RRT-PCR) for the detection of Newcastle disease virus. Among the 187 pigeons tested from 10 public areas, 9.1% (95% CI: 3.0 to 15.2) were positive for Campylobacter spp. with all strains identified as Campylobacter jejuni. The Campylobacter status of birds was not associated with individual characteristics of birds, with the exception of body score. None of the pigeons tested positive for the other pathogens. Direct or indirect contacts with feral pigeons may constitute a potential risk for Campylobacter infection in humans.