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R. M. Kocan

Publications and source records attributed to R. M. Kocan.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Infection and mortality in captive wild-trapped canvasback ducks

Fungal, bacterial and malarial infections, as well as malnutrition caused heavy mortality in a group of wild-trapped canvasbacks ( Aythya valisineria ) held in 10 × 3 × 2 m open water pens. Deaths occurred between 21 and 158 days after confinement and were associated with infections of Aspergillus fumigatus , Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus sp., Streptococcus sp., Klebsiella sp., Enterobacter sp., and Plasmodium sp. Infection and mortality was believed to result from reduced resistance associated with confinement. Fourteen canvasbacks released onto large ponds survived throughout the period during which the penned birds died.

Maryland, Virginia↗

Blood values of the canvasback duck by age, sex and season

Blood samples were obtained from canvasback ducklings from Manitoba and Saskatchewan and from immature and adult canvasbacks on the Mississippi River near LaCrosse, Wisconsin and the Chesapeake Bay. These samples were used to determine baseline data on red cell counts, hematocrit, total protein, glucose, cholesterol, hemaglobin and distribution of plasma proteins. Calculations were also made to determine mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. The major differences noted were between ducklings and adults. The former having higher total protein and lower hematocrit, glucose and cholesterol values. These hematologic values were collected in order to provide baseline information on apparently healthy canvasbacks, thereby providing disease investigators with a standard of comparison.

Canada, United States↗

Seasonal variation of the upper digestive tract yeast flora of feral pigeons

Feral pigeons were sampled over a 16-month period to determine whether their normal yeast flora varied according to season. Candida albicans and Saccharomyces telluris occurred during the entire sampling period, with C. albicans reaching its highest levels between August and January and S. telluris peaking from March through May. Candida krusei was present for 10 months but exhibited no predictable variation in density. Candida tropicalis , C. guilliermondii and Geotrichum were isolated on several occasions while C. lusitaniae , C. pseudotropicalis and Torulopsis glabrata were each isolated once. The high levels of infection and frequency of occurrence of some yeast species make the feral pigeon highly suspect as a carrier and disseminator of potentially pathogenic yeast.

Journal of Wildlife Diseases↗

Trichomoniasis in the Hawaiian barred dove

Two barred doves found in the south Kona district of the island of Hawaii were diagnosed as having trichomoniasis on the basis of gross and microscopic lesions. This brings the confirmed list of columbid species susceptible to natural trichomoniasis to four and is the first report of the disease from columbids in the Hawaiian Islands.

Hawaii↗

Serotypes in Saccharomyces telluris: Their relation to source of isolation

Three serotypes have been characterized with three reference strains of Saccharomyces telluris and designated as A, B, and C. One reference strain of Torpulopsis bovina , the imperfect form of S. telluris , belonged to serotype B. Strains (141) of S. telluris isolated from four columbid species were serotyped. All 98 strains of this yeast isolated from Columba livia (feral pigeon) belonged to serotype B. Three other columbid species, C. leucocephala (white-crowned pigeon), C. fasciata (band-tailed pigeon), and Zenaidura macroura (mourning dove) harbored strains of serotype C only. Serotype A was not isolated from any of the avian species.

Infection and Immunity↗

Effect of Hygromycin-B on pigeons (Columba livia) with and without Trichomonas gallinae

Hygromycin-B was administered in varied quantities to pigeons harboring nonvirulent Trichomonas gallinae and to pigeons free of T. gallinae. Both groups responded identically with large yellow caseous lesions in the upper digestive tract which superficially resembled canker (trichomoniasis). No mycotic association with the lesions could be established in either .group from sections stained with periodic acid-Schiff. The lesions observed in Hygromycin-B-treated pigeons were concluded to be the direct result of the drug on the mucosa of the pigeon's upper digestive tract.

Avian Diseases↗

Some physiologic blood values of wild diving ducks

Blood samples were obtained from 54 canvasbacks ( Aythya valisineria ), 30 lesser scaup ( A. affinis ), 3 ring-necks ( A. collaris ), and 3 buffleheads ( Bucephala albeola ), which were wintering on Chesapeake Bay. These blood samples were used for: red blood cell counts (cans. 2.56 × 10 6 /mm 3 ; scaup 2.45 × 10 6 /mm 3 ; ring-necks 2.50 × 10 6 /mm 3 ; bufflehead 2.64 × 10 6 /mm 3 ), packed cell volume (cans. 52.2%; scaup 57.1%; ring-neck 49.1%; buffleheads 54.3%), total protein (cans. 4.4 g/100 ml; scaup 4.4 g/100 ml; ring-neck 3.5 g/100 ml; bufflehead 3.8 g/100 ml), erythrocyte measurements, and electrophoretic analysis of plasma and serum. Variations between individuals of the same species and sex were slight but a possible difference between male and female erythrocyte numbers and packed cell volumes was evident in the canvasback and scaup samples.

Maryland↗

Immunologic status of mourning doves following an epizootic of trichomoniasis

An epizootic of trichomoniasis in mourning doves at the Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge began in 1969 and continued into 1970. The disease was seen in 16% of the adults and 2% of the immatures in 1970, but only one immature bird out of 37 surveyed (3%) carried Trichomonas gallinae . Challenge infection of 33 doves from the epizootic area showed 85 percent to be resistant to trichomoniasis, compared to 69 percent resistance in doves from Maryland, where no epizootic has occurred for at least 3 years. Plasma protein changes which occurred following challenge infection were identical in CSNWR and Maryland doves which showed evidence of disease. Of the doves which showed no signs of disease, those from the CSNWR exhibited no change in beta globulins, identical to the response in pigeons which survive an infection by T. gallinae , but they had some tissue invasion by the parasite.

South Carolina↗

Normal yeast flora of the upper digestive tract of some wild columbids

Seven species of pigeons and doves were cultured for yeasts in the upper digestive tract. The following list gives the isolation rate for each columbid species and the yeasts cultured from them: feral pigeon Colwnha livia (Gmelin) 95% — Candida albicans (Robin) Berkhout, C. tropicalis (Castellani) Berkhout, C. krusei (Cast.) Berkhout, C. guilliermondii (Cast.) Langeron et Guerra, Torulopsis glabrata (Anderson) Lodder et De Vries, Saccharomyces telluris Van der Walt, and Geotrichum sp.; white-crowned pigeon ( C. leucocephala Linnaeus) 56% — S. telluris ; mourning dove ( Zenaidura macroura Linnaeus) 24% — C. albicans , C. tropicalis , C. guilliermondii , and Geotrichum sp.; passerine ground dove ( Collumbigallina passerina Linnaeus) 20% — C. parapsilosis (Ashford) Langeron et Talice, Kloeckera apiculata (Reess Emend. Klocker) Janke; zenaida dove ( Zenaida auritu Temminck) 16% — C. albicans , C. guilliermondii , and T. glabrata ; one moustasche dove ( Geotrygon mystacea Gosse) — C. guilliermondii ; ringed turtle dove ( Streptopelia rizoria Linnaeus) 14% — C. albicans and Geotrichum sp. No signs of disease could be seen in the 139 birds that were examined, and it was concluded that these yeasts comprise a part of the columbid's normal microbial flora.

Journal of Wildlife Diseases↗

Trichomoniasis

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Book chapter↗

Challenge infection as a means of determining the rate of disease resistant Trichomonas gallinae-free birds in a population

Trichomonas gallinae -free pigeons and mourning doves were infected with the Jones' Barn strain of T. gallinae to determine the rate of disease resistant T. gallinae -free birds in each population. Although all birds became infected 88% of the pigeons were resistant to trichomoniasis while 82% of the mourning doves were resistant. It was concluded that these birds had been previously infected and spontaneously lost their trichomonad fauna while retaining their resistance to fatal infection.

Journal of Wildlife Diseases↗

Serum protein changes in immune and nonimmune pigeons infected with various strains of Trichomonas gallinae

Serum protein changes were studied in immune and nonimmune pigeons infected with three different strains of Trichomonas gallinae . Strain I (nonvirulent) produced no change in the relative concentration of serum components. Strains II (oral canker) and III (Jones' Barn) produced decreases in albumin and alpha globulins, and increases in beta and gamma globulins between the 7th and 20th days post infection. Birds infected with strain II began to return to normal by the 20th day, while all those infected with strain III were dead between 10 and 14 days post infection. Two serum protein patterns resulted from infection of immune birds with the Jones' Barn strain. One showed no change in relative protein concentrations and no tissue invasion by the parasite while the other was similar to that seen in nonimmune birds infected with a strain producing oral canker. These also showed evidence of tissue invasion by the parasite. It was concluded that tissue invasion was necessary to evoke a quantitative change in serum protein concentrations.

Journal of Wildlife Diseases↗