Wildlife Toxicology Laboratory at Texas Tech University

If you are interested in the insect hosts that carry the cecal worm read this article by Henry et al. titled ‘Molecular Identification of potential intermediate hosts of A. pennula from the order Orthoptera.’

The authors identified 35 insect host species for the cecal worm using PCR!

(PDF) Molecular identification of potential intermediate hosts of Aulonocephalus pennula from the order Orthoptera PDF | Aulonocephalus pennula is a heteroxenous nematode that commonly infects a declining game bird, the northern bobwhite quail ( Colinus virginianus... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

Check out this short communication titled ‘Potential parasite induced host mortality in Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) from the Rolling Plains ecoregion of West Texas.’ This article by Brym et. al. further investigated the effect parasites had on bobwhite, which was a much less understood topic in 2017.

Bobwhite carcasses, none of which hunters shot, were donated to the WTL and evaluated. Each of the 11 donated bobwhite carcasses were infected with cecal worms and eyeworms and the parasites likely contributed to the bobwhite’s cause of death, mainly flying into structure or windows.

(PDF) Potential parasite induced host mortality in Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) from the Rolling Plains ecoregion of West TExas PDF | Anecdotal reports of Northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) exhibiting strange behavior have raised suspicions of parasite induced host... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

Between 2016 and 2017, Henry et al. captured 51 wild bobwhite quail in Mitchell County, Texas. They noted a steep increase in the intensity of eyeworm and cecal worm infections between March and April of 2017. Quail surveyed from both March and April in 2017 were also significantly more infected than those from 2016. Finally, in April of 2017, the quail population on the study site declined sharply. There was such a stark decrease in quail that it took twice as much trapping effort to capture a single quail.

They concluded that the significant increase in eyeworm and cecal worm infection was correlated to a possible wild quail die-off in the area. Read more about this study linked below in the article titled “O. petrowi and A. pennula Infection in Wild Northern Bobwhite Quail in the Rolling Plains Ecoregion, TX: Possible Evidence of a Die-off.”

(PDF) Oxyspirura petrowi and Aulonocephalus pennula Infection in Wild Northern Bobwhite Quail in the Rolling Plains Ecoregion, Texas: Possible Evidence of A Die-Off PDF | We have been monitoring wild Northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) on a research transect in Mitchell County, Texas. We captured a total... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

We have a new paper! If you are curious about the time it takes the drug in QuailGuard, to absorb and be eliminated in a quail’s body check out this paper! The active ingredient in fenbendazole, and its metabolite oxfendazole, remained in the quail's system for 5.52 hours and 5.81 hours on average respectively. This research supports the recommended 21-day treatment period, the 0-day withdrawal period recommended by the FDA, and supports our past research that the drug is both safe and efficacious.

(PDF) Pharmacokinetics Of Fenbendazole and Its Bioactive Metabolite Oxfendazole in Northern Bobwhite Administered an Anthelmintic Feed PDF | The northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) has experienced significant population declines across its native range. Parasitic nematodes are... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

In 2017 Kalyanasundaram et al. sequenced a portion of one of the cecal worm’s genes and published their work in this article titled “Molecular identification and characterization of partial COX1 gene from caecal worm (Aulonocephalus pennula) in Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) from the Rolling Plains Ecoregion of Texas.” This was an important discovery because it allowed our lab to determine which parasites the cecal worm is most likely related to. We have also used this genetic sequence to design the materials needed to conduct our quantitative PCR, which allows us to classify the parasite infection levels of quail from only a f***l sample.

(PDF) Molecular identification and characterization of partial COX1 gene from caecal worm ( Aulonocephalus pennula ) in Northern bobwhite ( Colinus virginianus ) from the Rolling Plains Ecoregion of Texas PDF | Aulonocephalus pennula is a nematode living in the caeca of the wild Northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) present throughout the Rolling... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

In 2017, Dunham et al. investigated the severity of cecal worm infections in wild Northern bobwhite quail. Their findings are published in this article, titled “Caecal worm, Aulonocephalus pennula, infection in the northern bobwhite quail, Colinus virginianus.”

They found that 98% of the wild bobwhite sampled were infected with cecal worms!

(PDF) Caecal worm, Aulonocephalus pennula, infection in the northern bobwhite quail, Colinus virginianus PDF | Parasitic nematodes that infect quail have been understudied and long been dismissed as a problem in quail management. Within the Rolling Plains... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

On Snipe’s Ranch, a QuailGuard®-treated FDA demonstration site in Stonewall County, Texas, our graduate student Karl has begun his Ph.D. research. This field season Karl will be investigating the effects QuailGuard® has on reproductive success and predation rate on bobwhite quail. He has already had great success trapping and releasing collared hens on Snipes Ranch given the sustained and growing wild bobwhite population.

Our lab is regularly asked about the presence of aflatoxin in supplemental feed intended for wildlife including quail. Aflatoxin is a toxicant produced by certain fungi that contaminate crops, most commonly grains like corn. Luckily Dunham et al. investigated this issue in 2017 and published their findings in this article titled ‘Aflatoxin contamination in corn sold for wildlife feed in Texas.’

They found that 58% of the 57 sampled bags of supplemental corn purchased were contaminated to some degree with aflatoxin. Contamination concentration ranged from 0.0 to 19.91 parts per billion (ppb). Thus, no bags exceeded the 20-ppb concentration limit allowed in deer corn. For reference, one ppb is like a single drop of water in a swimming pool full of one billion drops of water. Meaning, aflatoxin is present in supplemental feed but likely at very low levels.

Finally, they investigated if the length of time feed was held in feeders, the material feeders were made of (metal or plastic), and if the season had any effect on the amount of aflatoxin in the feed. They found that none of these variables influenced the concentration of aflatoxin.

(PDF) Aflatoxin contamination in corn sold for wildlife feed in Texas PDF | Supplemental feeding with corn to attract and manage deer is a common practice throughout Texas. Other species, including northern bobwhites... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

Interested in our early molecular biology work on parasites? Read this article titled, “A Quantitative PCR Protocol for Detection of Oxyspirura petrowi in Northern Bobwhites (Colinus virginianus).” In 2016 Kistler et al. validated a method to quantify the level or intensity of eyeworm infections in northern bobwhite. This was a major finding as it allowed our lab to investigate the presence of the eyeworm in wild bobwhite without the need for euthanasia.

We have since built from this protocol; however, it provided the foundation to much of the research our lab conducts today.

(PDF) A Quantitative PCR Protocol for Detection of Oxyspirura petrowi in Northern Bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) PDF | Oxyspirura petrowi is a parasitic nematode that infects wild birds. This parasite has a broad host range, but has recently been reported in high... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

Field Season began in March! Our graduate student Henry is continuing his research at W7 (Williams) Ranch located in Garza County, Texas, a QuailGuard® treated ranch. After a stellar quail hunting season and despite a harsh period of winter weather, Henry is catching substantial numbers of wild scaled and bobwhite quail, indicating high carryover in the quail population over winter. This FDA Demonstration site is yielding valuable information on quail enhancement and sustainability. More quail reports are forthcoming.

Check out this 2016 article by Dunham et al. titled, “Oxyspirura petrowi infection leads to pathological consequences in Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus).” This article was the first documentation of damage to the surrounding eye tissues due to eyeworms in bobwhite! Inflammation, edema, and damage to the cornea and eye ducts were observed. This research was a critical insight into the severity of the damage eyeworm infections can cause in wild bobwhite quail.

(PDF) Oxyspirura petrowi infection leads to pathological consequences in Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) PDF | Debilitating ocular diseases are often reported in avian species. By and large, helminth parasites have been overlooked in avian diseases and... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

This article by Dunham et al. in 2016 titled ‘Infection levels of the eyeworm Oxyspirura petrowi and caecal worm Aulonocephalus pennula in the northern bobwhite and scaled quail from the Rolling Plains of Texas,’ is our labs first investigation into these parasites in scaled quail. This article reported the highest eyeworm infection levels found in both species at the time. It was found that scaled quail had significantly lower eyeworm infections than bobwhite. However, no significant differences were found regarding cecal worm infections. No significant differences were detected between the sexes of either species.

(PDF) Infection levels of the eyeworm Oxyspirura petrowi and caecal worm Aulonocephalus pennula in the northern bobwhite and scaled quail from the Rolling Plains of Texas PDF | Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) and scaled quail (Callipepla squamata) have experienced chronic declines within the Rolling Plains... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate