Publications

sarcocystis calchasi sp. nov. of the domestic pigeon (columba livia f. domestica) and the northern goshawk (accipiter gentilis): light and electron microscopical characteristics.	a novel highly pathogenic sarcocystis species has been shown to cycle between the northern goshawk (accipiter gentilis) as definitive host and the domestic pigeon (columba livia f. domestica) as intermediate host. however, genetically based characteristics are only available from very few bird-infecting sarcocystis species. we therefore further characterised morphological properties of this protozoan in both hosts. using light and electron microscopy, oocysts and sporocysts as well as schizonts ...	2010	20033211
sarcocystis calchasi is distinct to sarcocystis columbae sp. nov. from the wood pigeon (columba palumbus) and sarcocystis sp. from the sparrowhawk (accipiter nisus).	sarcocystis calchasi has been identified as causative agent of a newly discovered central nervous disease in domestic pigeons (columba livia f. domestica) observed for the first time in germany in 2006. initial studies have indicated that this parasite is highly pathogenic for domestic pigeons after ingestion of low doses of sporocysts shed by the northern goshawk (accipiter gentilis). here we tested whether phylogenetically related birds might regularly harbor sarcocystis species. five wood pig ...	2010	20381254
unusual biphasic disease in domestic pigeons (columba livia f. domestica) following experimental infection with sarcocystis calchasi.	a novel sarcocystis species has recently been reported in the domestic pigeon (columba livia f. domestica) as intermediate host, causing severe central nervous signs similar to paramyxovirus-1 or salmonella typhimurium var. cop. infection. transmission of the parasite via the northern goshawk (accipiter gentilis) as definitive host has been established. experimental infection of domestic pigeons with sporocysts excreted by experimentally infected northern goshawks reproduced the natural infectio ...	2010	20945785
high prevalence of sarcocystis calchasi sporocysts in european accipiter hawks.	the emerging sarcocystis calchasi induces a severe and lethal central nervous disease in its intermediate host, the domestic pigeon (columba livia f. domestica). experimental studies have identified the northern goshawk (accipiter g. gentilis) as final host. phylogenetically closely related european sparrowhawks (accipiter n. nisus) and wood pigeons (columba palumbus) have been found to harbor genetically closely related sarcocystis spp. however, data on the prevalence and potential interspecies ...	2010	21074324
sarcocystis calchasi-associated neurologic disease in a domestic pigeon in north america.	tissue cysts of a protozoan parasite were present in the skeletal muscle of a domestic pigeon (columba livia f. domestica) with neurologic disease in minnesota, usa. the animal had a severe granulomatous meningoencephalitis. the cysts were slender, up to 1 mm long and up to 0.03 mm in diameter. the cysts had a smooth wall without projections. size and wall morphology were compatible with sarcocystis calchasi. polymerase chain reaction using s. calchasi-specific primers resulted in a specific amp ...	2011	21848932
modulation of the host th1 immune response in pigeon protozoal encephalitis caused by sarcocystis calchasi.	pigeon protozoal encephalitis (ppe) is an emerging central-nervous disease of domestic pigeons (columba livia f. domestica) reported in germany and the united states. it is caused by the apicomplexan parasite sarcocystis calchasi which is transmitted by accipter hawks. in contrast to other members of the apicomplexa such as toxoplasma and plasmodium, the knowledge about the pathophysiology and host manipulation of sarcocystis is scarce and almost nothing is known about ppe. here we show by mrna ...	2013	23398807
sarcocystis calchasi has an expanded host range and induces neurological disease in cockatiels (nymphicus hollandicus) and north american rock pigeons (columbia livia f. dom.).	pigeon protozoal encephalitis (ppe) is an emerging central nervous system disease of pigeons (columba livia f. domestica) caused by the apicomplexan parasite sarcocystis calchasi. the intermediate host specificity of s. calchasi had been considered high, as domestic chickens were resistant to experimental infection. here, we have re-evaluated this concept and expanded the known host range of s. calchasi by experimental infection of cockatiels (nymphicus hollandicus), a species distantly related ...	2014	24360290
parasite distribution and early-stage encephalitis in sarcocystis calchasi infections in domestic pigeons (columba livia f. domestica).	pigeon protozoal encephalitis is a biphasic, neurologic disease of domestic pigeons (columba livia f. domestica) caused by the apicomplexan parasite sarcocystis calchasi. despite severe inflammatory lesions of the brain, associated parasitic stages have only rarely been identified and the cause of the lesions is still unclear. the aim of this study was therefore to characterize the tissue distribution of s. calchasi within pigeons between the two clinical phases and during the occurrence of neur ...	2015	25338141
toltrazuril does not show an effect against pigeon protozoal encephalitis.	the protozoan parasite sarcocystis calchasi causes a severe neurologic disease in domestic pigeons (columba livia f. dom.) named pigeon protozoal encephalitis. recently, the parasite has also been reported in psittacines causing a virtually identical disease with fatal outcome. so far, an etiological treatment of s. calchasi infections in pigeons or psittacines is unknown. the present study evaluates the effectiveness of the anticoccidian drug toltrazuril against s. calchasi and the influence of ...	2015	25648444
sarcocystis calchasi encephalitis in a rock pigeon.	a rock pigeon (columba livia) caught in akihabara, tokyo, showed neurological symptoms, such as head tilt and circling. pathological examinations revealed abundant sarcocystic cysts in the skeletal muscle and myocardium with mild myositis, and numerous schizonts and sarcocysts with severe multifocal granulomatous t-lymphocytic infiltration in the central nervous system. a sarcocystis calchasi-specific gene was detected in the muscle and brain. this case indicates s. calchasi was distributed in j ...	2015	26062567
acute, fatal sarcocystis calchasi-associated hepatitis in roller pigeons (columba livia f. dom.) at philadelphia zoo.	four roller pigeons (columba livia f. dom.) at the philadelphia zoo died suddenly. necropsy examination revealed macroscopic hepatitis. microscopically, the predominant lesions were in liver, characterized with necrosis and mixed cell inflammatory response. sarcocystis calchasi-like schizonts and free merozoites were identified in liver. transmission electron microscopy confirmed that schizonts were in hepatocytes. a few schizonts were in spleen. pcr using s. calchasi-specific primers confirmed ...	2016	26801595