الفهرس 
Cover Page Title in EnglishOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 85 |  |  |
| | | from | 85 | | |
Abstract
The present investigation aimed to study the internal parasites infecting the Buff backed heron (Ardeola ibis) at Behera Province, Egypt during the period extending from January, 2012 till December, 2012; trying to evaluate their role in the environmental pollution with parasites that could be transmitted to domesticated birds and man. This included examination of 100 Buff backed herons hunted from four different localities (Edfina, Rasheed, El Mahmodia and Edko). The study included studying the prevalence of infection with the internal parasites, description and identification of the collected parasites particularly those not recorded before, studying the pathological effects related to them and demonstrating the possible intermediate hosts that may contain the infective stages.
The general infection rate with internal parasites reached 84%. Trematodes were infecting 56%, Nematodes 65% while Acanthocephala and Cestodes were infecting only 8% and 2% respectively. Seasonal examination showed that the Buff backed herons examined during Winter and Autumn months where the heavily infested.
The study demonstrated 11 species of Trematodes, 8 species of Nematodes, one species of Acanthocephala and one species of Cestodes. These parasites were collected from the kidney, small and large intestine, proventriculus and gizzard. All these helminth parasites were recorded for the first time infecting wild birds at Behera Province. Moreover, some of these helminths were detected for the first time infecting the Buff backed herons in Egypt.
The different species of Trematodes were Renicola species (48%), Nephrostomum ramosum (44%), Apharyngostrigea ibis(46%), Apharyngostrigea magna (28%), Prohemistomum vivax (12%), Echinochasmus mordax (8%), Echinochasmus species (4%), Petasiger species (4%), Heterophyes aequalis (30%), Centerocestus species (8%) and Stomalytrema species (1%).
The Nematodes were Capillaria obsignata (16%), Capillaria anatis (10%), Ascaridia columbae (3%), Strongyloides species (3%), Porrocaecum species (2%), Synhimantus invaginatus (64%), Synhimantus species (2%) and Tetrameres species (4%).
The Acanthocephala was Pseudoporrorchus species (8%); while the only Cestode was infecting (2%) and was unidentified as the material was not enough.
Histopathological examination of the prepared sections of the infected kidneys with Renicola species showed marked lesions that may lead to complete destruction of the kidney.
Examination of the possible intermediate hosts of the parasites infecting Buff backed herons (Beetles, Earth worms, Frogs and Fresh water fishes) demonstrated encysted metacercariae in Tilapia species fish. These were the infective stages of Prohemistomum vivax and Heterophyes aequalis.