Ascaridosis in a Group of Psittacine Birds

Severe ascaridosis was diagnosed in an adult green-winged macaw (Ara chloroptera), in a blue-fronted Amazon parrot (Amazona aestiva), and in two juvenile white (umbrella) cockatoos (Cacatua alba) from one aviary. Three of these psittacine birds were submitted for necropsy. Le- sions in individual birds variably included intestinal obstruction with ascarids, hepatic nematodiasis, and adult nematodes in the pancreatic and bile ducts. In two birds, ascarid eggs were detected antemortem by direct flotation of fecal samples with sodium nitrate solution. However, in one bird, repeated evaluation of fecal samples by direct smears and flotation failed to reveal a heavy ascarid infection. In comparison with nine species of Ascaridia, the specimens in these cases matched no currently described species.