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Protozoa of the genus Sarcocystis are obligatory heterogenous parasites with both definitive and intermediate hosts. Opossums (Didelphis aurita) can shed multiple species of Sarcocystis with birds as the intermediate host. The pathologies of Sarcocystis species in birds have not been thoroughly elucidated. Therefore, the aim of the present study to determine the main lesions that can occur in acute and chronic infections in intermediate hosts, when they ingest infective sporocysts that are shed in the opossum's feces, using budgerigars as a model. To this end, 12 budgerigars, Melopsittacus undulatus, were divided into two groups that received an inoculum with 60 and 120 sporocysts. Birds that died or were euthanized were necropsied, and the lung, tongue, liver, brain, heart, and skeletal striated muscles were collected and fixed in 10% formalin for histopathological analysis. The infectivity varied according to the sample and infective dose. Acute histopathological lesions were characterized by evidence of slightly degenerated hepatocyte cords that permeated the region of the blood vessel and hepatic sinusoids. Pulmonary tissue lesions were also observed in the parabronchial region with the presence of inflammatory infiltrates associated with areas of edema and atelectasis. In chronic infections, few mature cysts were observed in the chest, and many mature cysts in the thigh and tongue muscles. Thus, it was possible to conclude that lesions are highly characteristic in acute infection and, in chronic infections, cysts were present but without major lesions. In this case, the preferred organs of parasitism were the thigh and the tongue.

The morphological, biological, and molecular characteristics of Cryptosporidium avian genotype V are described, and the species name Cryptosporidium avium is proposed to reflect its specificity for birds under natural and experimental conditions. Oocysts of C. avium measured 5.30-6.90 μm (mean = 6.26 μm) × 4.30-5.50 μm (mean = 4.86 μm) with a length to width ratio of 1.29 (1.14-1.47). Oocysts of C. avium obtained from four naturally infected red-crowned parakeets (Cyanoramphus novaezealandiae) were infectious for 6-month-old budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) and hens (Gallus gallus f. domestica). The prepatent periods in both susceptible bird species was 11 days postinfection (DPI). The infection intensity of C. avium in budgerigars and hens was low, with a maximum intensity of 5000 oocysts per gram of feces. Oocysts of C. avium were microscopically detected at only 12-16 DPI in hens and 12 DPI in budgerigars, while PCR analyses revealed the presence of specific DNA in fecal samples from 11 to 30 DPI (the conclusion of the experiment). Cryptosporidium avium was not infectious for 8-week-old SCID and BALB/c mice (Mus musculus). Naturally or experimentally infected birds showed no clinical signs of cryptosporidiosis, and no pathology was detected. Developmental stages of C. avium were detected in the ileum and cecum using scanning electron microscopy. Phylogenetic analyses based on small subunit rRNA, actin, and heat shock protein 70 gene sequences revealed that C. avium is genetically distinct from previously described Cryptosporidium species.

Nine opossums, Didelphis aurita , were captured in the city of Seropédica, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and examined for species of Sarcocystis. Sporocysts were observed in the mucosal scrapings of the small intestine from 3 opossums. Five budgerigars, Melopsittacus undulatus , were infected with sporocysts from each of these infected opossums and 5 budgerigars were used as controls. Of the 15 sporocyst-treated budgerigars, 5 birds that received sporocysts from 1 of the infected opossums developed tissue parasites. Meronts in the vascular endothelium of the lung venous capillaries and cysts in the skeletal and cardiac muscle cells were observed in histological sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The microscopic cysts, which were predominantly in the tongue and leg muscles, ranged from 65.3 to 118.1 μm in length and 14.0 to 29.4 μm in width and from 0.9 to 1.9 μm in thickness of the cystic wall. Sections examined by transmission electron microscopy revealed that the cyst wall contained numerous slender and jagged-shaped protrusions, each with a finger-like formation at the end. The morphology, especially of the cyst wall, and the morphometry of the tissue cysts indicate that the parasite is Sarcocystis lindsayi and, therefore, the opossum, D. aurita , is now considered a definitive host for this species in Brazil.

Objective: This study was carried out to detect chewing-lice found on some birds in Turkey., Methods: For this aim, a Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto), a budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) and a marbled duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris) were examined for the louse., Results: Columbicola bacillus (Giebel, 1866) was found on a Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto), Afrimenopon waar (Eichler, 1947) on a budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) and Anatoecus icterodes (Nitzsch, 1818) on a marbled duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris)., Conclusion: All three louse species were recorded for the first time in Turkey. Anatoecus icterodes was reported for the first time from marbled duck in the worldwide. Therefore, marbled duck is a new host for Anatoecus icterodes.

Sporocysts of Sarcocystis were obtained from intestinal scrapings of three out of five opossums (Didelphis aurita) trapped in the southeastern region, of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Fifteen caged budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) received, orally, twenty-six sporocysts in 500 mL PBS, but only five belonging to one of the groups developed clinical signs, that consisted of anorexia, lethargy, ruffled feathers and dyspnoea, and parasitism in tissues. Two of the five budgerigars died on the 25th and 29th days after infection (DAI). The other three budgerigars were posted on the 30th DAI. In all the five infected birds were observed meronts in the capillaries of the lungs and cysts in muscles, mainly in the tongue and legs.

Chewing lice of the species Afrimenopon waar (Eichler) were collected from captive budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus (Shaw) in Pakistan. This is the first record of amblyceran lice from this host. It is also the first record of the genus Afrimenopon from Pakistani region. The primary host species of Afrimenopon waar is the rosy-faced lovebird Agapornis roseicollis (Vieillot). The finding of A. waar on budgerigars is, most likely, a result of a contamination in captivity. Morphological variation and origin of these lice are discussed.