Trichomonas columbae, popularly known as "the yellow", is a sneaky crawler.
"The Lancet, a leading British scientific journal, conducted a study of 93 European cities and found that a third of premature deaths caused by high temperatures could have been prevented by planting 30 per cent more trees.
High temperatures in cities were found to cause health problems, particularly in the heart, lungs and kidneys ...
Removing vegetation, adding asphalt and using materials that absorb and retain heat exacerbate global warming in urban versus rural areas.
Amsterdam. 1 million trees, including 300,000 managed by the city
The situation is worst in southern and eastern Europe, particularly in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Here, the most significant temperature difference was reported at 4.1 degrees.
The Lancet research team found that increasing the number of trees planted in cities is best complemented by other climate-friendly measures as part of an overall green infrastructure.
As for the tree, the last has yet to be discovered. Their roots could also communicate over long distances through the complex underground network of fungi (they inform each other of significant changes such as the arrival of insects, heat, rainfall, etc.).
It is safe to assume that animals in general, and pigeons in particular, are also involved in far more social interactions as a function of the common good of their species than we might suspect.
It is all coordinated at a distance, thanks partly to pheromones (special scent carriers), about which we still need to gain more knowledge. Very interesting and hopeful: to be continued.
Trichomonas columbae, popularly known as "the yellow", is a sneaky crawler.
The young pigeon competition is challenging, partly due to several infectious diseases. These are game-changers lurking around every corner. Trichomonas has a solid reputation in the group of parasites called 'protozoa', along with coccidiosis, toxoplasmosis and hexamitiasis.
Parasites, especially when combined with the increased temperatures of the competition season, take advantage of the contaminated baskets, litter and soil on which they are found in large numbers. So it goes without saying that it all starts with good (loft) hygiene.
Bron: https://www.nfdo.nl/nieuws/besmettelijke-vogelziekte-het-geel-in-meerdere-regios
"The yellow" is widespread among homing pigeons worldwide. 80% of pigeons are infected, but most remain under the radar without many symptoms, such as a slightly red throat. Therefore, they are sometimes considered normal mucous membranes (commensals) inhabitants.
It is mainly the young pigeons that suffer the most, which makes sense. They consume many reserves due to their growth and sensitivity to stress. The infection is mainly transmitted through the beak (scavenging) and drinking water, where the bacteria can survive for several hours.
After infection, the first symptoms appear on day 4.
This is a sticky, viscous, cheese-like yellow deposit on the throat's mucous membranes, which can even affect the jawbone, oesophagus and crop in the worst cases.
The infections can cause severe damage deep into the system.
If young pigeons are performing poorly, drinking heavily and dropping thin droppings, it is time to inspect the throat and beak, where the classic yellowing symptoms usually appear. Depending on the severity of the condition, blood vessels and organs such as the liver may be affected, causing irreversible damage.
Latent herpes (=endemic = every pigeon is a carrier) can trigger trichomoniasis and vice versa due to poor condition. Trichomonas can undermine the quality of the mucous membranes and the condition to such an extent that the herpes virus can flare up. This can result in one Eye cold (coryza) or smallpox.
Bacterial infections (Pasteurella) may or may not complicate these outbreaks.
Young pigeons are more susceptible. Their resistance is still limited and can be rapidly reduced (e.g. by external parasites) (Stopmite). This can lead to outbreaks of herpes, which in turn can trigger trichomoniasis.
However, over many generations, pigeons developed various non-immunogenic defence techniques.
A peptide called "defensin", released in the intestinal wall cells, punctures the cell membrane of the trichomonas parasites, causing them to leak and die.
NO (nitric oxide), a natural vasodilator released when exercising, is known to inhibit the growth of Trichomonas (and other germs too). However, this non-immunological approach is thwarted by Trichomonas. Trichomonas can intercept arginine, an intermediate step required for NO production.
NO also plays a role in mucosal (in)permeability. Trichomonas can also facilitate entry into the bloodstream by intercepting arginine. Pigeons with naturally efficient NO production are less likely to be affected by this disease.
That is why we include the amino acid arginine in our formulas. The mucus of the intestinal wall also plays an important role. It is a highly complex structure that 'sticks' to the intestinal lumen where the parasite manifests.
Comed has pioneered developing intestinal conditioners for decades to support the above processes in the intestinal mucus defence line with the necessary supplements...
In a nutshell, "the yellow" is a pot of misery caused by a jumble of interacting germs under the leadership of Trichomonas.
The imidazole family of drugs: ronidazole, carnidazole, metronidazole, dimetridazole, etc., are the classic drugs against "yellow".
This last one is effective, but it is also toxic. In particular, it irritates and dries out the skin so that the experienced eye of the fancier will soon notice that the plumage is less shiny.
Resistance to these drugs can also develop quickly. In any case, it is not advisable to combine them with antibiotics, as this can considerably reduce their effectiveness and even increase the "yellow". It is essential not to start a metronidazole therapy, for example, for less than seven days because of the high risk of resistance.
In one study, treatment of trichomoniasis with metronidazole was compared with treatment with aqueous garlic extract.
It turned out that this protected the pigeons exceptionally well. The garlic extract group had a higher body weight and lower mortality than those treated with metronidazole.
The study involved 48 pigeons divided into four groups.
- Group 1 was neither infected nor treated.
Each young pigeon from the other three groups was infected with trophozoites.
- Group 2 was infected and untreated.
- Group 3 was treated with metronidazole.
- Group 4 received watery garlic extract in their drinking water for seven consecutive days.
In group 4, the garlic extract had the highest anti-trichomonas activity. The duration of treatment was reduced from 7 to 5 days. The pigeons in group 2, infected and not treated, suffered from macrocytic hypochromic anaemia (a severe form of anaemia), whereas the young birds in groups 3 and 4 had average blood counts.
There was an increase in total serum protein (albumin and globulin), indicating a beneficial effect on the immune system. Total cholesterol and liver enzymes ASAT and ALAT were reduced in groups 3 and 4 compared to group 2 (if elevated = damage to the lifestyle).
Unlike coccidiosis, a pigeon can't build up a resistance to trichomoniasis, so letting it "sweat it out" is not a good strategy.
Immediate attention to the problem is undoubtedly necessary during the flight season. The above results indicate that garlic is a superior herbal agent for protecting the racing pigeon against trichomoniasis. Therefore, a non-medicinal herbal approach is currently preferred by the scientific community.
When it comes to getting rid of "the yellow," natural protection methods are the way to go. The Comed method provides an excellent outline for achieving this. Products such as Roni, Curol, and Comedol contain purified garlic extract, which has been proven effective in combating this issue.
In this sense, the regular (preventive) cures with the - drugs of the imidazole group - are hopeless. In addition to garlic, several other plant compounds have similar effects to those in Lisocur + etc.
To conclude, we can't help but repeat ourselves:
Comed is the place to be
Science - Advice - Insight – Confidence
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24488107/