Haemoproteus

&
Leucocytozoon
Submitted by,
Vinayakraj M
15-BVP-222
 Haemoproteus
• 1890-Kruse -described Haemoproteus columbae in the
blood of pigeon
• parasitic in birds, reptiles and amphibians
• Haemo - Blood
Proteus- a sea god who had the power of assuming
different shape
• intracellular parasites that infect the erythrocytes
• Infection with this genus is sometimes known as
pseudo malaria
• transmitted by blood sucking insects other than
mosquito
1.biting midges (Culicoides)
2.louse flies (Hippoboscidae)
3.tabanid flies (Tabanidae)
 CLASSIFICATION
Phylum : Apicomplexa
Class : Aconoidasida
Order : Haemospororida
Family : Haemoproteidae
Genus : Haemoproteus

Family HEAMOPROTEIDAE
•Life cycle and morphology similar to plasmodium but differ in not
having erythrocytic schizogony
• Gametocytes are only stages to be found in erythrocytes contains
pigment
 LIFE CYCLE
• The infective stage is the sporozoite which is present in the salivary
glands of the vector
• Once the vector bites a new host, the sporozoites enter the blood
stream and invade endothelial cells of blood vessels within various
tissues including those of the lung, liver and spleen
• Within the endothelial cells, the sporozoites undergo asexual
reproduction becoming Early schizont (minute cytoplasmic bodies
with a single nucleus)
• Early schizont develops to cytomere (unpigmented masses each with
a single nucleus).
• Merozoites come out of cytomere.
• merozoites penetrate the erythrocytes and mature
(Gametocytogenesis) into either female gametocytes
(macrogametocytes) or male gametocytes (microgametocytes)
• Gametocytes can then be ingested by another blood-sucking
insect where they undergo sexual reproduction in the midgut
of the insect to produce ookinetes
• The ookinetes rupture and release numerous sporozoites that
invade the salivary gland
 Haemoproteus columbae
• Common in pigeons of India
• Vector – Pseudolynchia canariensis (Hippoboscid)
 Haemoproteus meleagridis
• Host – Turkey
• Macro and microgamonts in the RBC are more elongate and curved,
occupying around half to three quarter of the host cell
• Macrogametocyte is having more compact nucleus, denser cytoplasm,
more evenly distributed granules instead of clustered granules in the
case of microgametes
• Having general Heamoproteidae family life cycle
• Generally considered non pathogenic or only slightly pathogenic
 Haemoproteus nettionis
• Hosts are duck, goose and swan
• World wide distribution
• Macro and microgametocyes partially encircle the nucleus often
displaces it
• They contain a few to 30 or more pigment granules, which are
usually coarse and round, often grouped at the ends of the cell.
• The host cell is not enlarged
 PATHOGENESIS
• Usually no clinical signs
• In heavy infection , the bird may appear restless
and do not feed
• Anemia may developed
• Liver and spleen may be enlarged
 DIAGNOSIS
• Gametocytes are only present within erythrocytes
• Gametocytes have a "halter-shaped" appearance with little displacement of
the host nucleus
• Schizonts are not seen on peripheral blood smears
• On PM examination schizonts are seen in endothelial cells of lung, liver and
spleen
• Multiple pigment granules (hemozoin) are present within the erythrocytes
• Pigment granules are refractile and yellow to brown in colour.
 TREATMENT
• Vector control is sufficient to prevent the disease
• Quinarcine is effective
 LEUCOCYTOZOON
• Gametogony -in leukocytes of birds (in some species, in immature erythrocyte)
• Schizogony –in endothelial and paranchymatous cells of liver, heart, kidney and other
organs
• No pigment is produced
• Vectors : 1.Black flies (Simulids)
2.Midges (Culicoides)
• Common species
1. Leucocytozoon simondi - Ducks and geese
2. Leucocytozoon smithi - Turkey
3. Leucocytozoon caulleryi - Domestic ckicken
 CLASSIFICATION
• Phylum : Apicomplexa
• Class : Aconoidasida
• Order : Achromatorida
• Family : Leucocytozoidae
• Genus : Leucocytozoon

Family LEUCOCYTOZOIDAE
• In blood cells only Gametocytes are found
• Gametocytes are larger than Haemoproteidae and not having malarial
pigment, because they invade cells in which hemoglobin has not yet
been synthesized
 LIFE CYCLE
• Infective stage is sporozoite
• When a black fly feeds on an avian host, sporozoites enter
hepatocytes and follow schizogony to produce schizonts
• Schizonts form merozoites, that penetrates RBC and develops to
gametocytes.
• If the merozoite is ingested by a macrophage in heart, liver,
lymphoid tissue etc, it develops into a huge megaloschizont (100-
200μm)
• Megaloschizont form is abundant than hepatic schizont
• Megaloschizont divide internally to form cytomeres
• Cytomere inturn form merozoites
• Merozoite penetrate leukocytes or immature erythrocyte and
develops to elongate gametocytes
• When the blood is taken by a fly, exflagellation takes place in
the intestine and sexual reproduction takes place to produce
ookinetes
• Mature ookinetes release sporozoites by sporogony and they
are stored in salivary gland of vector awaiting next biting.
Megaloschizonts in liver Gametocytes in blood
 Leucocytozoon simondi
• Highly pathogenic to young duck and geese (85% mortality rate)
• Typical Leucocytozoon life cycle
• Vector – Black flies
 Leucocytozoon smithi
• Megaloschizonts are not seen
• Markedly pathogenic
Leucocytozoon caulleryi
• Leucocytozoonosis in domestic chickens
 PATHOGENESIS
• Young birds are affected more
• Anemia with pallid comb and wattles
• Restlessness and Loss of appetite
• Greenish diarrhea
• PM change – Hemorrhage in affected organs, Spleenomegaly, White
spots on heart muscles
• After 14 days of infection, Gamonts in chicken can be demonstrated
 TREATMENT & PROPHYLAXIS
• Suphamonomethoxine @ 1g/L of Drinking water
• For prophylaxis continuous medication @ 1g/20L of
Drinking water
 REFERENCE
• Gerald D.Shmidt & Larry S.Robbert, Foundations of
Parasitology, 8th Edition, Published by McGraw-Hill,
Page 164-166
• B.B.Bhatia, K.M.L.Pathak & D.P.Banerjee, Text Book
of Veterinary Parasitology, 2nd Edition, Kalyani
Publishers, Page 375-377
THANK YOU