Internal and external parasitic infections in captive psittacine birds

Parakeets and parrots can be infected by several parasitic species that may be either primary or opportunistic pathogens and may be responsible for mild or severe clinical forms of disease (Greiner and Ritchie 1994, Doneley 2009). Some psittacine parasitic species are host specific, while others can infect a wide range of animals—including humans (Tsai and others 1992, Fayer 2010). The main aim of this study was the evaluation of the prevalence of ectoparasites and endoparasites in captive psittacine birds living in Italy.