DISEASES AND PARASITES OF THE OSTRICH 239 
LEUCOCYTOZOON INFECTION IN OSTRICH CHICKS 
Walker has observed a leucocytozoén infection in ostrich chicks 
varying in age from 4 weeks to 7 months. 
Symptoms. There is a disinclination to feed, loss of condition, 
stunted growth and paleness of the buccal mucous membrane. The 
skin of the body and around the eye is bluish colored. When the 
chicks are driven, the affected ones are unable to keep up with the 
rest of the flock. Sickness is noted several days before death. 
Morbid anatomy. Microscopic examination of the organs shows 
no constant lesions. Examination of the blood frequently reveals the 
presence of a leucocytozoén. The observations lead Walker to the 
conclusion that it will be necessary to ascertain whether the leucocy- 
tozoén enters into the etiology of diseases of ostrich chicks. 
Etiology. The organism is designated Leucocytozoon struthionis. 
It occurs in young chicks but has not been found in adult ostriches. 
In dried blood smears fixed with methyl alcohol and stained with Gi- 
emsa, two main types of parasites are observed which apparently cor- 
respond to male and female gametocytes. 
The female gametocyte occurs most frequently. The shape is more 
or less rounded but may be irregular, due to distortion brought about 
in preparing the smears. The organism varies from 11 to 15 microns 
in length and from 9 to 13 microns in width. The protoplasm stains 
deeper than does that of the male gametocyte and scattered through 
the protoplasm are a number of metachromatic granules. These ap- 
pear more distinctly in some of the parasites than in others. A num- 
ber of small clear spaces occur throughout the protoplasm. The nu- 
cleus is represented by an aggregation of small chromatin granules 
generally at the center or near the edge. In most instances a large 
chromatin granule stands out distinctly. It is situated in the mass of 
granules, or at the side of them, or at some distance from them. The 
nucleus of the host cell is always altered in shape. In most cases it is 
elongated and located at the margin of the parasite. 
The male gametocyte is usually more or less rounded and is smaller 
than the female. The protoplasm stains less densely than that of the 
female. The chromatin granules of the nucleus are generally scat- 
tered throughout the cell. Sometimes they are larger and widely sep- 
arated and are observed very distinctly. The nucleus of the host cell 
is irregular in shape and is found at the edge of the parasite. It is 
less elongated and smaller than in the case of: the cell invaded by the 
female. : 
