Studies of Acanthocephala of Birds of Sindh, Pakistan

Birds are worldwide in distribution and have generally followed human civilization. Because of different feeding habits they are exposed to different types of parasitic infections. Amongst these, acanthocephalan causes mechanical injury, toxic effects, growth effects and metabolic changes in host, this infection may also result in death of the bird. Since birds are host to many helminth parasites which are acquired from the environment, the present study was conducted for the first time in this study area documenting some new species of acanthocephala from birds of different feeding habits of Sindh, Pakistan. Besides taxonomy of helminths, histopathological changes were studied in detail on the intestine of owl and crow revealed that severe tissue damage and alterations occurred. The intestines of both the birds were severely damaged by the toxic and traumatic effects and had produced the atrophy while traumatic effects were obvious by physical destruction of intestinal wall. Present information can be utilized by the researchers in animal husbandry, poultry industries and veterinarians in the prevention and treatment of the Acanthocephala infection in birds.