Evaluation of the antiparasitic activity of the chitosan-silver nanocomposites in the treatment of experimentally infested pigeons with Pseudolynchia canariensis

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of chitosan-silver nanocomposites in the treatment of experimentally infested pigeons with Pseudolynchia canariensis (P. canariensis) with evaluation of different immunological parameters before and after treatment. Therefore, fourteen birds were divided into 2 groups; group1(infested group including 12 birds) which subdivided into 6 sub-groups experimentally infested pigeons 2 pigeons each, and five group of them were treated with chitosan-silver nanocomposites and sub-group number 6 was treated with deltamethrin while, group 2 including two pigeons were kept as control negative ones. P. canariensis flies distributed under the wing and /or under the tail in infested group and these pigeons showed significantly lower RBCs and higher WBCs than that in non-infested pigeons. The cell mediated immune response against experimentally infested pigeons with P. canariensis was studied. P. canariensis infestation in pigeons have a negative impact on pigeon’s blood parameters, increase TNF-α and IL-1β cytokines levels. This study cleared out the role of P. canariensis in the induction of a case of oxidative stress indicated by high level of nitric oxide and malondialdehyde (MDA) with low antioxidant capacity in shape of reduced zinc concentration in the sera of experimentally infested pigeon. Chitosan-silver nanocomposite has a promising effect in the elimination of P. canariensis infestation in pigeons.