Selected Abstracts From the Literature

Cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus) are a popular pet psittacine bird. With their worldwide popularity, there is an increased desire to obtain new evidence to better care for these animals in captivity. The goal of this cross-sectional study was to measure the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in captive cockatiels from Brazil and determine if there are any specific risk factors associated with this parasite in this species of psittacine bird. Fecal samples were collected from 100 cockatiels in the city of Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil. Feces were collected from both sexes and birds .2 months old. A questionnaire was provided to owners to obtain information on how they cared for their birds. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting the 18S rRNA gene was used to identify the presence of this parasite, as well as microscopic evaluation using malachite green, modified Kinyoun, and a combination of these stains. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in the cockatiels sampled was 9% (95% confidence interval: 3–15%) based on the nested PCR assay, with slightly lower prevalences noted with the 3 different staining methods: malachite green staining (6%), modified Kinyoun straining (5%), and malachite green combined with Kinyoun (7%). Sequencing of 5 amplicons showed 100% similarity with Cryptosporidium proventriculi. Multivariate logistic regression analysis found a significant association (P , 0.01) between C proventriculi positivity and gastrointestinal alterations. The findings of this study suggest that Cryptosporidium spp. should be considered as a differential in cockatiels with gastrointestinal disease.