Ascaridia - Poultry Flashcards

Question	Answer		Article
What species of Ascaridia affect poultry?	A. galli A. compar A. dissimilis A. columbae		Link to Article
What part of the GI tract can these Ascaridia be found in?	The small intestine.		Link to Article
What effect do these parasites have on poultry?	Haemorrhagic enteritis Heavy infections, cause partial or total obstruction of the duodenum/jejunum.		Link to Article
Does the male or female Ascaridia tend to be bigger?	Females are bigger as they range from 72 to 116 mm in length; whereas males only range from 51 to 76 mm in length.		Link to Article
What distinguishing properties do males have?	Pre-anal suckers Two equal spicules (1-2.4 mm long)		Link to Article
Where is the opening to the females reproductive organs?	In the middle of the body.		Link to Article
What is the main host for A. galli?	Chickens, but it can also infect: Turkeys Geese Guinea fowl Wild birds		Link to Article
What species of bird does A. dissimilis infect?	Turkeys		Link to Article
What species of bird does A. columbae infect?	Pigeons		Link to Article
What are the clinical signs associated with an Ascaridia infection in poultry?	Anorexia Diarrhoea Dehydration Stunted growth Unthriftiness Drooping wings Ruffled feathers Weight loss Dullness Lethargy Misshapened and soft thin shelled eggs Anaemia Reduced blood sugar levels Distended ureters with urates		Link to Article
At what age in chickens does A.galli produce more severe clinical signs?	Up to 3 months of age, after which the worm burden normally decreases, although it can still be very high.		Link to Article
What is the distribution of Ascaridia in poultry?	Worldwide		Link to Article
What type of life cycle does A. galli have?	A direct life cycle		Link to Article
What is the infective stage of the Ascaridia species?	L3 -larval stage within the embryonated egg.		Link to Article
What is meant by the term histotropic phase?	This is where the ascaridia embed themselves into the mucosal layer of the intestines after ingestion. The length of this period before the final maturation has been reported to be between 3 to 54 days.		Link to Article
How long is the prepatent period for A. galli?	5-8 weeks		Link to Article
How is A. galli transmitted?	Mainly through ingestion of embryonated eggs (L3) from contaminated feed or water supplies (faecal oral route) Via the egg as the adults migrate through the lumina of the large intestine and cloaca and end up in the oviduct where they are then incorporated into the hen’s egg Eating earthworms that have ingested A. galli eggs		Link to Article
How can A. galli be diagnosed?	Clinical signs Faecal examination Post-mortem (PM)- evidence of enteritis/haemorrhagic enteritis, extensive damage to the glandular epithelium, adhesion of the mucosal villi and pressure atrophy from adult worms. In chronic infections the intestinal wall can become distended as muscle tone is lost.		Link to Article
How can A. galli be treated?	In feed treatment with either: Piperazine salts Levamisole Benzimidazole		Link to Article
How can you control Ascaridia infections?	Free range systems, young birds can be isolated and put onto ground previously unused by poultry Rotation of poultry runs Raised feeding and watering stations - reducing faecal-oral transmission Breeding to develop a genetic resistance is being discussed		Link to Article