J Vet Sci.  2013 Dec;14(4):421-424. 10.4142/jvs.2013.14.4.421.

Hypodectes propus (Acarina: Hypoderatidae) in a rufous turtle dove, Streptopelia orientalis (Aves: Columbiformes), in Japan

• El-Dakhly
• El-Nahass
• Inui K
• Kimura J
• Sakai H
• Yanai T

• KMID: 1712308
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2013.14.4.421

Abstract

An adult male rufous turtle dove, Streptopelia (S.) orientalis (Aves: Columbiformes), was found dead in Yorii-machi Town, Osato District 369-1217, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, and subjected to necropsy. A large number of immobile hypopi (deutonymphs) of the hypoderatid mite, Hypodectes (H.) propus (Acarina: Hypoderatidae), were found individually encapsulated subcutaneously primarily in the adipose tissue. The mites were 1.43 mm in length and 0.44 mm in width on average, and had provoked mild inflammatory reactions that predominantly manifested as foamy macrophages and lymphoplasmocytes. PCR analysis using ribosomal DNA extracted from paraffin-blocked tissues produced a 240 bp band specific for hypoderatids. Based on the morphological features (distinct coxal apodemes, especially in the anterior portion) and PCR-based findings, the hypopi were identified as H. propus. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case describing the subcutaneous mite H. propus in a rufous turtle dove, S. orientalis, in Japan. This study also highlights the use of paraffin blocks as a source of tissue DNA for molecular evaluation.

Keyword

Hypodectes propus; Japan; Strepopelia orientalis; subcutaneous tissue

MeSH Terms

Animals
Bird Diseases/diagnosis/*parasitology/pathology
Columbidae/*parasitology
DNA, Ribosomal/genetics
Formaldehyde/metabolism
Japan
Male
Mite Infestations/diagnosis/parasitology/pathology/*veterinary
Mites/growth & development/*physiology
Nymph/growth & development/physiology
Paraffin Embedding/veterinary
Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary
DNA, Ribosomal
Formaldehyde

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 (A) Images of the gross features of a rufous turtle dove, Streptopelia (S.) orientalis. A large number of subcutaneous Hypodectes (H.) propus hypopi were observed (arrowheads). Inset: Clearly distinct hypopi protruding from the dissected portion of the subcutaneous tissue (arrowheads). (B) A hypopus (deutonymph) of H. propus isolated from S. orientalis. Inset: Magnified image showing the anterior end of the hypopus with anterior legs and coxal apodemes. (C) Microscopic examination of the subcutaneous tissues revealed a large number of hypopi. (D) Histopathology of the mite-infested subcutaneous tissue showing multifocal inflammatory reactions, predominantly consisting of foamy macrophages and lymphoplasmocytes. Note the clearly distinct hypopi with clear protruding legs (arrowheads). Fm: foamy macrophages, Lpc: lymphoplasmocytes. H&E stain (C and D). Scale bars = 1 mm (A inset), 250 µm (B), 50 µm (B inset), and 25 µm (D).

• 

  Fig. 2 Agarose gel electrophoresis of PCR products specific for H. propus. DNA was extracted from paraffin blocks containing hypopi-infested subcutaneous tissue. A band approximately 240 bp in size specific for the family Hypoderatidae (arrowhead) was observed. Lane 1 contains DNA extracted from H. propus. Lane M; 100-bp ladder.

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