First case of fatal leucocytozoonosis in domestic ducks in a zoological garden in Japan.

Authors

Kaho Uegaki, Ayako Ohkawara, Miyou Yoshida, Yuuto Kawashima, Masaki Ito, Keita Kakisaka, Akihiro Sado, Masateru Mitsuzaki, Yukita Sato

Published in

The Journal of veterinary medical science. Jun 30, 2026. Epub Jun 30, 2026.

Abstract

Leucocytozoon spp. are common avian haemosporidian parasites that can cause clinical symptoms with lethal cases in poultry worldwide. However, leucocytozoonosis has not been reported in domestic ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus) in Japan. Two adult domestic ducks maintained in a zoological garden in Japan became lethargic, exhibited labored breathing, and died in July 2024. These ducks had hemorrhages in the visceral organs with splenomegaly and hepatomegaly. Megaloschizonts of haemosporidia were histologically observed in the spleen and other organs. Partial sequences of Leucocytozoon mitochondrial cytochrome b gene DNA were determined and classified as lineages known to infect wild waterfowl (Anseriformes). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first known fatal case of leucocytozoonosis in domestic ducks in Japan.

PMID:
42386550
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 02 Jul 2026.

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