Study of the gastrointestinal parasites in the feces of wild and domestic waterfowl with a focus on zoonotic parasites in Ahvaz, Iran

Due to the importance of parasitic infections in birds and the increasing growth of waterfowl breeding, especially goose and duck, this study aimed to investigate gastrointestinal parasites, including worms and protozoa in the feces of some species of wild and domestic waterfowl with a focus on zoonotic parasites. In this study, 100 fecal samples were collected from eight different wild and domestic waterfowl species in Ahvaz, including domestic goose, wild goose, domestic duck, wild duck, swan, pelican, and Ukrainian goose, and to identify gastrointestinal parasites. The samples were evaluated using the Clayton- Lane method and modified Ziehl-Neelsen and Trichrome staining methods.  SPSS Statistics 18.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Out of 100 fecal samples, 17 samples (17%) were positive for gastrointestinal parasites. Fourteen samples (14%) were infected with Eimeria spp., and three samples (3%) were infected with Giardia species. Among the different species of waterfowl that were positive, pelicans had the highest rate of infection (57.28 %). The highest rate of parasitic infection in waterfowl was related to protozoan infections, and the highest rate of protozoan infection was associated with Eimeria (14%).  Of the positive cases, only four had clinical symptoms such as lethargy, anorexia, and diarrhea, and the rest of the positive cases were from apparently healthy birds. Considering that most parasitic infections have been detected in apparently healthy birds, it is recommended to observe hygiene and to disinfect cages regularly and also reduce the density of birds. Due to the zoonotic potential of Giardia and due to the contamination of some birds in bird shops with this parasite, this issue should be considered by public health officials, bird shops, owners, and breeders of these birds.