Toxoplasmosis in a red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus).

A red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus), clinically exhibiting intermittent seizures, was examined by the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study. Microscopically, the woodpecker had protozoal meningoencephalitis. Toxoplasma gondii was identified by immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction. Sequence analysis of the SAG2 locus disclosed that the T gondii detected was the Type III genotype. This is apparently the first report of clinical neural toxoplasmosis in any species in the order Piciformes.