Assessment of Commercially Available Immunoassays to Measure Glucocorticoid Metabolites in African Grey Parrot (Psittacus Erithacus) Droppings: A Ready Tool for Non-Invasive Monitoring of Stress
Despite being undomesticated, African Grey Parrots (Psittacus erithacus) are commonly found in captivity, in zoos or as pets. Captivity can be an ongoing stressor. Non-invasive glucocorticoid metabolites (GCM) measurements from bird droppings are of interest for assessing stress but require careful...
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MDPI AG
2018-06-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/8/7/105 |
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| author | Cécile Bienboire-Frosini Muriel Alnot-Perronin Camille Chabaud Pietro Asproni Céline Lafont-Lecuelle Alessandro Cozzi Patrick Pageat |
| author_facet | Cécile Bienboire-Frosini Muriel Alnot-Perronin Camille Chabaud Pietro Asproni Céline Lafont-Lecuelle Alessandro Cozzi Patrick Pageat |
| author_sort | Cécile Bienboire-Frosini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite being undomesticated, African Grey Parrots (Psittacus erithacus) are commonly found in captivity, in zoos or as pets. Captivity can be an ongoing stressor. Non-invasive glucocorticoid metabolites (GCM) measurements from bird droppings are of interest for assessing stress but require careful evaluation in each newly studied species. This study describes the assessment of such methods for Psittacus erithacus to provide tools for evaluating stress and monitoring welfare. We evaluated 12 method combinations of GCM extraction and enzyme immunoassay (EIA) from a pool of African Grey Parrot droppings, through the validation of several analytical parameters. Then, Heterophil: Lymphocyte Ratios (HLR), another reliable stress marker, were determined and correlated to individual dropping GCM concentrations for 29 birds to determine whether the method is biologically relevant. We found that the best procedure to measure GCM in African Grey Parrot droppings is a combination of 60% methanol extraction measured using a Corticosterone EIA kit (Cayman Chemical Company) from fresh or dry droppings. The establishment of a significant correlation (Pearson coefficient correlation = 0.48; p = 0.0082) between HLR and GCM in the studied population confirmed the method biological relevance. This method can thus be applied to assess stress in Psittacus erithacus and support welfare monitoring in zoo populations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T21:32:20Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T21:32:20Z |
| publishDate | 2018-06-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-897490f9a43f4c4fa854651b8bdd48592022-12-22T01:32:45ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152018-06-018710510.3390/ani8070105ani8070105Assessment of Commercially Available Immunoassays to Measure Glucocorticoid Metabolites in African Grey Parrot (Psittacus Erithacus) Droppings: A Ready Tool for Non-Invasive Monitoring of StressCécile Bienboire-Frosini0Muriel Alnot-Perronin1Camille Chabaud2Pietro Asproni3Céline Lafont-Lecuelle4Alessandro Cozzi5Patrick Pageat6Department of Physiological and Behavioral Mechanisms of Adaptation (DMPCA), IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology), 84400 Apt, FranceClinical Ethology and Animal Welfare Centre (CECBA), IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology), 84400 Apt, FranceDepartment of Physiological and Behavioral Mechanisms of Adaptation (DMPCA), IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology), 84400 Apt, FranceDepartment of Cellular Processes and Sustainable Interactions (DPCID), IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology), 84400 Apt, FranceStatistical Analyses Department, IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology), 84400 Apt, FranceResearch and Education Board, IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology), 84400 Apt, FranceResearch and Education Board, IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology), 84400 Apt, FranceDespite being undomesticated, African Grey Parrots (Psittacus erithacus) are commonly found in captivity, in zoos or as pets. Captivity can be an ongoing stressor. Non-invasive glucocorticoid metabolites (GCM) measurements from bird droppings are of interest for assessing stress but require careful evaluation in each newly studied species. This study describes the assessment of such methods for Psittacus erithacus to provide tools for evaluating stress and monitoring welfare. We evaluated 12 method combinations of GCM extraction and enzyme immunoassay (EIA) from a pool of African Grey Parrot droppings, through the validation of several analytical parameters. Then, Heterophil: Lymphocyte Ratios (HLR), another reliable stress marker, were determined and correlated to individual dropping GCM concentrations for 29 birds to determine whether the method is biologically relevant. We found that the best procedure to measure GCM in African Grey Parrot droppings is a combination of 60% methanol extraction measured using a Corticosterone EIA kit (Cayman Chemical Company) from fresh or dry droppings. The establishment of a significant correlation (Pearson coefficient correlation = 0.48; p = 0.0082) between HLR and GCM in the studied population confirmed the method biological relevance. This method can thus be applied to assess stress in Psittacus erithacus and support welfare monitoring in zoo populations.http://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/8/7/105analytical validationcaptivityenzyme immunoassayFecal Glucorticoid MetabolitesHeterophil:Lymphocyte Rationon-invasive stress measurementparrotwelfare monitoring |
| spellingShingle | Cécile Bienboire-Frosini Muriel Alnot-Perronin Camille Chabaud Pietro Asproni Céline Lafont-Lecuelle Alessandro Cozzi Patrick Pageat Assessment of Commercially Available Immunoassays to Measure Glucocorticoid Metabolites in African Grey Parrot (Psittacus Erithacus) Droppings: A Ready Tool for Non-Invasive Monitoring of Stress Animals analytical validation captivity enzyme immunoassay Fecal Glucorticoid Metabolites Heterophil:Lymphocyte Ratio non-invasive stress measurement parrot welfare monitoring |
| title | Assessment of Commercially Available Immunoassays to Measure Glucocorticoid Metabolites in African Grey Parrot (Psittacus Erithacus) Droppings: A Ready Tool for Non-Invasive Monitoring of Stress |
| title_full | Assessment of Commercially Available Immunoassays to Measure Glucocorticoid Metabolites in African Grey Parrot (Psittacus Erithacus) Droppings: A Ready Tool for Non-Invasive Monitoring of Stress |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of Commercially Available Immunoassays to Measure Glucocorticoid Metabolites in African Grey Parrot (Psittacus Erithacus) Droppings: A Ready Tool for Non-Invasive Monitoring of Stress |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of Commercially Available Immunoassays to Measure Glucocorticoid Metabolites in African Grey Parrot (Psittacus Erithacus) Droppings: A Ready Tool for Non-Invasive Monitoring of Stress |
| title_short | Assessment of Commercially Available Immunoassays to Measure Glucocorticoid Metabolites in African Grey Parrot (Psittacus Erithacus) Droppings: A Ready Tool for Non-Invasive Monitoring of Stress |
| title_sort | assessment of commercially available immunoassays to measure glucocorticoid metabolites in african grey parrot psittacus erithacus droppings a ready tool for non invasive monitoring of stress |
| topic | analytical validation captivity enzyme immunoassay Fecal Glucorticoid Metabolites Heterophil:Lymphocyte Ratio non-invasive stress measurement parrot welfare monitoring |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/8/7/105 |
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