Avaliação sanitária de tucanos e araçaris (aves: piciformes) em cativeiro no estado de Minas Gerais

Abstract

Toucans and aracaris are birds of family Ramphastidae order Piciformes. Such birds are of great ecological importance for their role in seed dispersion favoring forest recomposition. Maintenance and reproduction of these birds in captivity is impaired for several reasons including improper sanitary management. The present study evaluated 144 ramphastids, being 129 from genus Ramphastos (R. toco, R. dicolorus, R. tucanus e R. vitellinus), 11 Pteroglossus (P. aracari, P. inscripitus, P. bitorquatus, P. castanoti, P. bailloni) and four Selenidera (S. maculirostris), kept in 13 different locations in Minas Gerais state. Tests were conducted for Plasmodium/Haemoproteus (microscopy of stained blood smear and PCR of blood and spleen), Clostridium perfringens (isolation from cloacal swabs), Chlamydophila psittaci (PCR of cloacal swabs) and endoparasites and ectoparasites. Antibodies against Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) and Salmonella Pullorum (SP) were evaluated by rapid plate agglutination test (RPA) and against avian paramyxovirus tipe 1 (APMV-1) by hemaglutination inhibition (IH). From 143 birds assessed for hemosporidians, 58 were positive (40,5%) and only trophozoites and meronts of Plasmodium spp. were visualized in blood smears. Sequencing from 20 samples yielded five different lineages of Plasmodium spp. that could constitute four different morphospecies. Microfilariae were found in three out of 58 birds evaluated. Clostridium perfringens were isolated from 11 birds (8,5%), being all type A strains, with gene cpb2 detected in three samples. In the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test, all C. perfringens isolated were sensitive for penicillin, vancomycin and metronidazole, 81 and 36% of the isolates were sensitive for erithromycin and oxytetracyclin, respectively and all isolates were resistant to lincomycin. Endoparasites were found in 38 (31%) birds, with 24 parasitized by coccidians (19,5%) and 12 (9,5%) by capillarids. Sixteen birds were parasitized by lices (Phthiraptera) (11,1%) and 13 by feather mites (Astigmata) (9%). Birds did not show antibodies titres for MG, SP and APMV-1 and were negative for C. psittaci. In this study, 66,6% of the birds were shown with at least one etiology assessed, being 66 (45,1%), 21 (14,6%) and 10 (7,0%), with one, two and three etiologycal agents, respectively. Preventive veterinary medicine against infectious and parasitic diseases of ranfastids should involve testing and quarantine of birds to be transported to another holding or released into the wild. Ramphastids should be assessed for parasitic and infectious diseases prior to being transferred between captive facilities and before reintroductions in nature, in order to prevent the introduction of pathogens and parasites in places previously absent.