Studies on the pathology of an avian trypanosome (T. bouffardi) infection in experimentally infected canaries

Experimental infections of canaries with an avian trypanosome, Trypanosoma bouffardi, isolated from West Africa demonstrated that these infections can cause pathological changes in tissues. Enlargement of the spleen coincided with peak parasitaemia but no other gross changes were observed. Histopathological examination of infected and control birds revealed focal myocarditis and lymphoid hyperplasia, in infected birds, which are consistent with trypanosome infection. Avian trypanosome infections are not usually regarded as pathogenic but our results suggest that pathological changes occur which are similar to those observed in mammals infected with salivarian trypanosomes.