Observations on Giardia of Budgerigars

Abstract

Sick budgerigars from a local aviary were infected with Giardia. The trophozoites were of the G. duodenalis type as defined by Filice with elongate median bodies pointed on one or both ends and more or less perpendicular to the long axis of the body. Using 3 fixation-staining methods, and material from 3 birds, the length ranged from 10-18 .mu.m and the width from 4.5-11 .mu.m with a mean length to width ratio of 2. Attempts to culture the trophozoites in vitro from intestinal scrapings were unsuccessful. Attempts to transmit the infection by fecal cysts to canaries and mice failed. The budgerigar form is named G. duodenalis, race psittaci.