Clinical survey and molecular detection of Trichomonas gallinae infection of domestic pigeons (Columba livia domestica) in Al-Qadisiyah Province, Iraq

The present study encompasses two aspects: monitoring the typical clinical features of trichomoniasis among domestic pigeons (Columba livia domestica) in Al-Qadisiyah Province, Iraq, and molecular typing of the etiological agent. The typical clinical features of trichomoniasis, including glutinous plaques that create yellow, necrotic, cheese-like masses, were verified in a sample of fifty pigeons with a frequency of occurrence of 100% (n=50/50). Microscopic examination also revealed a frequency of occurrence among pigeons of 100% (n=50/50). The molecular typing of the causative agent was performed using the 18S rRNA sequence analysis approach with the universal Trichomonas ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2 specific primer through conventional PCR. Among the ten pigeons tested, the molecular typing revealed that Trichomonas gallinae was the causative agent of trichomoniasis with a frequency of occurrence of (n=10/10). The ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2 nucleotide sequences of the ten strains of Trichomonas gallinae were submitted to GenBank under the following accession issues: OM367997, OM457006, OM457005, and OM456998. These findings underscore the indispensable need for implementing high preventive standard measures against avian trichomoniasis to better control this disease.