Abstract
Trichomonas gallinae, a flagellated protozoan, adversely affects the avian livestock, particularly the columbids. It causes an infection called necrotic ingluvitis and the disease can range from asymptomatic to lethal. The parasite affects the anterior gastrointestinal tract of the bird, forms granulomatous lesions, and blocks the oesophagus, making the bird starve, thus leading to death. The virulence of the strain varies with some strains causing up to 75% mortality. In UK, the infection was first recognized as an emerging infectious disease of British finches in summer of 2005. The sick dead birds exhibited signs of malaise such as lethargy and fluffed-up ...
