Respiratory acariasis caused by Sternostoma tracheacolum in aviary finches

Abstract

Extract

Sternostoma tracheacolum, a Rhinonyssid mite parasitic in the trachea, lungs and air sacs of a variety of small birds, was de-scribed first by Lawrence (1948) and later by Stephan et al (1950) in caged canaries in South Africa. Since then, the mite has been recorded in many countries and a variety of species of wild birds. These include buntings, goldfinches, tanagers, warblers, wag-tails, starlings, blackbirds, orioles, meadow-larks, swallows, parrots, parakeets, water thrush and sparrows. These hosts appear to have a high tolerance to the parasite as no lesions in the respiratory systems of parasitized wild birds have been recorded (Fain and Hyland, 1962)