Ultra-structure of blood cells and molecular characteristics of Haemoproteus sp. in Blyth’s hawk eagle

Haemoproteus was detected in the blood smear of an adult female Blyth’s hawk eagle which was submitted to the Kasetsart University Raptor Rehabilitation Unit. The morphology and ultra-structure of leukocytes and gamonts of Haemoproteus were described. The gamont’s cytoplasm contained scattered brown to black pigment granules with a mean of 12 granules per parasite. Monocytes played a major role in the elimination of the gamonts. According to the annotated checklist of the avian Haemoproteidae, the Haemoproteus in this eagle was closely related to Haemoproteus buteonis. The phylogeny of mitochondrial cytochrome b genes of Haemoproteus revealed 96.5 and 97.6 % similarity in identity with the Haemoproteus from two collared scops owls and seven barn owls (99.3 to 99.8 % similarity) from Thailand, and they were also similar to the Haemoproteus isolated from other reported avian species in Southeast Asia. The eagle was clinically healthy without any treatment. It was free from Haemoproteus by light microscopy and molecular technique 8 months later and was released in Krungching Waterfall, Khao Luang National Park, southern Thailand.