Toxoplasmosis in Lovebirds

Do you know lovebirds are prone to Toxoplasmosis? Toxoplasmosis is a disease of zoonotic importance. Although toxoplasmosis is more confined to cats, lovebirds are also affected by Toxoplasmosis.

Toxoplasmosis is caused by a protozoan parasite- Toxoplasma gondi. Drinking water contaminated with Toxoplasma is the usual entry of the organism in lovebirds.

Toxoplasma infection has two stages- Acute Toxoplasmosis and Latent Toxoplasmosis. Most infected lovebirds have no symptoms and are never diagnosed. The affected birds will have swollen eyelids with nasal discharge.

In humans, the affected individuals will show muscle weakness, eye damage, and abortion in pregnant women. So it is always advisable to avoid handling of lovebirds during pregnancy period of a woman.

Usually the diagnosis of the disease can be confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This is the confirmative test for Toxoplasmosis in lovebirds.

The common medicines employed to control toxoplasmosis in lovebirds include clindamycin, spiramycin, etc. In the latent toxoplasmosis, the common drug of choice is atovaquone. It is always advisable to prevent the occurrence of this disease among lovebirds than curing the same.