Authors: LITERAK I., SMID B., DUSBABEK F., HALOUZKA R., NOVOTNY L
Publishing: Institute of Agricultural and Food Information, Prague
Published: 2005
Nodular papillomatous lesions combined with proliferation and formation of scales and crusts were observed on both tarsi of a dead chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) found in February 2004 in the eastern part of the Czech Republic. Electron microscopic examination demonstrated the presence of papillomavirus virions in the lesions. The parasitological examination of crust scraps revealed the presence of mites Knemidokoptes jamaicensis. Skin lesions were caused by a co-infection with the two pathogens. This paper is the first report of such a co-infection. In another chaffinch netted in May 2004 in the northern part of the Czech Republic, marked papillomatous lesions were found at the base of the beak. Proliferation of basal epidermal cells with sporadic intranuclear inclusions in the keratinocytes of stratum granulosum of the epidermis observed in the histopathological examination was suggestive of a viral aetiology of the papillomatous lesions. This is the first reported case of beak papillomatosis in the chaffinch. Keywords: bird, Czech Republic, disease, mite, parasite, virus.
