Case report: Aspergillosis and Cyathostoma americana co-infection in the lower respiratory tract of a Harris's Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus)

Susanne Rau¹Oliver Krone²Wieland Schrödl³Jan Schinköthe^1*

• ¹Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
• ²Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Department of Wildlife Diseases, Berlin, Germany
• ³Institute of Bacteriology and Mycology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany

A 12-year-old female Harris's Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus) that presented with prominent dyspnea and open-mouthed breathing with increasing respiratory problems during handling procedures died suddenly. Necropsy revealed an extensive granulomatous airsacculitis, serositis and pneumonia. Intralesional dark red helminths consistent with Syngamidae sp. were seen in the trachea, air sacs, lungs and on top of multiple visceral organs. Furthermore, ascaridoid worms were found in the lumen of the small intestine. PCR-analysis of both helminth species resulted in Cyathostoma americana and Porrocaecum moraveci respectively. In addition, the air sacs contained innumerable areas of white to greyish sporulating mold. Mycological analysis revealed a prominent co-infection with Aspergillus fumigatus. Whilst infection of the respiratory tract with Cyathostoma americana as well as air sac aspergillosis are known diseases in diverse raptor species, this case represents not only the first documented report of a Harris's Hawk with pathological changes due to a prominent Cyathostoma americana infection, but also of a raptor with Syngamidae-Aspergillus co-infection and concomitant endoparasitosis of the gut.