Fatal systemic toxoplasmosis in Valley quail (Callipepla californica)

• This is the first report of systemic fatal toxoplasmosis in Valley quail.
• Toxoplasma gondii was molecularly identified as belonging to ToxoDB-PCR-RFLP #87.
• It caused a generalized disease with necrotic lesion in liver, heart, spleen, lungs, trachea and bone marrow, with large numbers of tachyzoites stained positively with polyclonal antiserum to T. gondii.

An adult, captive raised male Valley quail (Callipepla californica) acquired by a southern Brazilian aviary suddenly showed severe apathy, dyspnea and diarrhea, and died 18 hours after the onset of illness. At necropsy, pale muscles and whitish areas in the heart, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, and consolidated red lungs were observed. Histological findings were mainly mononuclear inflammation with necrosis of liver, heart, spleen, bone marrow and lung. There were large numbers of Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoitesorganisms in the liver, heart, spleen, bone marrow, lungs, trachea, kidneys, adrenal glands, testes, intestines, and pancreas. These organisms were seen free in the organs' stroma or within macrophages and stained positively with polyclonal antiserum to T. gondii. Genomic DNA was extracted from the tissues and PCR was used to target the B1 gene of T. gondii. The genotypic characterization by PCR-RFLP with 11 markers (SAG1, SAG2 and alt. SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, Apico and CS3) revealed the ToxoDB-PCR-RFLP #87 genotype, the same as previously identified in a backyard chicken (TgCkBr156) in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

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