Líffræðifélag Íslands - biologia.is
Líffræðiráðstefnan 2019

Erindi/veggspjald / Talk/poster V39

Present and past status of poultry parasites in Iceland

Höfundar / Authors: Karl Skírnisson, Guðný Rut Pálsdóttir

Starfsvettvangur / Affiliations: Tilraunastöð HÍ í meinafræði að Keldum

Kynnir / Presenter: Karl Skírnisson

In Iceland it is an old tradition to keep free-ranging hens Gallus gallus on farms, and in recent years egg-laying hens are sometimes kept in back yards in urban areas. Studies on poultry parasites started in the late 1940ies, but since the 1970ies only sporadic identifications have been made. Here, we summarize present and past status of poultry parasites in Iceland. We examined 18 birds from nine flocks, compiled published records and identified specimens sent in in recent decades to Keldur. In our study three Eimeria spp. were found (in 2 of 9 flocks), the cecal nematode Heterakis gallinae (7/9), the scaly leg mite Knemidocoptes mutans (4/9), the quill mite Syringophilus bipectinatus (1/9) and the red poultry mite Dermanyssus gallinae (1/9). Also, the feather-shaft louse Menopon gallinae (8/9) and the chicken body louse Menacanthus stramineus (4/9) (amblicerans), the fluff louse Goniocodes gallinae (7/9) and the wing louse Lipeurus caponis (1/9) (ischnocerids). Already identified parasites, not found in the present survey, were five intestinal nematodes (Ascaridia galli, Capillaria annulata, C. obsignata, C. contorta and C. caudinflata) and five ectoparasites, the ischnocerid Goniodes dissimilis, the bed bug Cimex lectularius, the poultry flea Ceratophyllus gallinae and the louse fly Ornithomya chloropus. The flagellates Trichomonas gallinarum and Histomonas melagritis were reported in Iceland in the 1950ies. In the 1990ies, Cryptosporidium meleagritis was confirmed.