Fatal Systemic Haemosporidiosis in a Free-Ranging Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)

Deborah L A Chong; Brittany McHale; Kayla B Garrett; Michael J Yabsley

doi:10.7589/JWD-D-22-00066

Fatal Systemic Haemosporidiosis in a Free-Ranging Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)

J Wildl Dis. 2023 Jan 1;59(1):207-211. doi: 10.7589/JWD-D-22-00066.

Authors

Deborah L A Chong¹, Brittany McHale², Kayla B Garrett^{3

4}, Michael J Yabsley^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ North Dakota State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, North Dakota State University, 4035 19th Avenue N, Fargo, North Dakota 58102, USA.
² Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, Room 150, North Riverbend, 110 Riverbend, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.
³ Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife Health Building, 589 D. W. Brooks Drive, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.
⁴ Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.

PMID: 36669649
DOI: 10.7589/JWD-D-22-00066

Abstract

A wild adult Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) from northeastern Oregon, US, was found dead, with multiorgan necrosis and inflammation associated with protozoal schizonts and phanerozoites. Molecular characterization identified these protozoa as Plasmodium homopolare H2 and a novel Leucocytozoon sp. lineage. Fatal systemic haemosporidiosis has not been previously reported in Greater Sage-grouse.

Publication types

Letter

MeSH terms

Animals
Conservation of Natural Resources
Ecosystem
Galliformes*
Haemosporida*
Oregon
Plasmodium*
Quail