Outbreaks of Sarcocystis spp. in exotic birds kept in captivity at the Cali Zoo (Colombia): Case series

In a 19-month long period there were outbreaks in which 16 exotic birds that belonged to the collection of the Cali Zoo died. Most of the affected animals were Australian parrots, of which a large percentage had sudden death. Mortalities occurred in enclosures with different characteristics, located in exhibition and internal areas of the Zoo. Necropsy, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry were performed in some animals that did not present an advanced state of decomposition, where the presence of a parasitic pneumonia with intraendothelial merozoites of Sarcocystis spp. was confirmed. Some of the individuals who survived, received combined antiparasitic, antibiotic, and antifungal therapy. Risk factors and important aspects of the management to prevent Sarcocystosis in animals kept under human care are mentioned, because this disease has high mortality in Old World birds, most of the time, without previous clinical signs.