Difference between revisions of "Coccidiosis - Geese"

Revision as of 13:35, 2 March 2011

Introduction

Many species of coccidia have been found present in geese, both farmed and wild. It is a more severe problem in goslings, from between 3- 12 weeks of age, in which mortality will occur frequently. Coccidia is frequently introduced into domestic flocks by migrating wild geese, which are resistant to the disease.

There are two strains E. truncata and E. anseris, which are of most pathogenic importance, with the latter causing intestinal disease and E. truncata causing renal coccidiosis.

Clinical Signs

Renal Coccidiosis
Signs include severe depression such as reduced appetite and huddling, emaciation and diarrhoea. Mortality rates are high, however, birds that recover from the infection remain strongly resistant to it for life.

Intestinal Coccidiosis
Signs include depression, weakness and general malaise. Haemorrhagic diarrhoea is also seen. There are high morbidity rates within the flock, but mortality rates are not as high as with renal coccidiosis. The presence of concurrent infections would increase rick of mortality.

Diagnosis

History and clincal signs, along with a post mortem of a sick bird (which will have been sacrificed for this purpose) should lead to a presumptive diagnosis. In the case of renal coccidiosis, post mortem will reveal enlarged, pale grey coloured kidneys, with petechial haemorrhages on the capsule and tubules. Intestinal coccidiosis will have characteristic caseous core lesions on the intestines as well as them being enlarged and filled with a reddish brown fluid.

Examination of a sample of the effected area under a microscope should reveal the oocysts and confirm the diagnosis.

Treatment and Control

Control is based on good hygeine and husbandry such as good ventilation and trying to reduce the risk of wild geese contaminating the area.

Treatment, if required is a dose of sulphonamides. Other anitcoccidial drugs should not be used as their safety in this species is unknown.

References

Merck & Co (2008) The Merck Veterinary Manual (Eighth Edition) Merial
Jordan, F, Pattison, M, Alexander, D, Faragher, T (1999) Poultry Diseases (Fifth edition) W.B. Saunders
Saif, Y.M. (2008) Disease of Poultry (Twelfth edition) Blackwell Publishing

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-*3 ''[[Eimeria spp.|Eimeria]]'' species
+== Introduction ==
-*2 intestinal species causing macroscopic lesions in [[Urinary System Overview - Anatomy & Physiology#The_Kidney|kidney tubules]]
+Many species of coccidia have been found present in geese, both farmed and wild. It is a more severe problem in goslings, from between 3- 12 weeks of age, in which mortality will occur frequently. Coccidia is frequently introduced into domestic flocks by migrating wild geese, which are resistant to the disease.
-**Oocysts carried in urine and pass out with faeces
-*Renal species cause severe disease in goslings
+There are two strains ''E. truncata'' and ''E. anseris'', which are of most pathogenic importance, with the latter causing intestinal disease and ''E. truncata'' causing renal coccidiosis.
-**Depression, emaciation, [[Diarrhoea|diarrhoea]] and sometimes death
-[[Category:Alimentary Diseases - Birds]][[Category:Coccidia]] [[Category:To_Do_-_Kate]]
+== Clinical Signs ==
+'''Renal Coccidiosis'''<br>Signs include severe depression such as reduced appetite and&nbsp;huddling, emaciation and diarrhoea. Mortality rates are high, however, birds that recover from the infection remain strongly resistant to it for life.
+'''Intestinal Coccidiosis<br>'''Signs include depression, weakness and general malaise. Haemorrhagic diarrhoea is also seen. There are high morbidity rates within the flock, but mortality rates are not as high as with renal coccidiosis. The presence of concurrent infections would increase rick of mortality.
+== Diagnosis ==
+History and clincal signs, along with a post mortem of a sick bird (which will have been sacrificed for this purpose) should lead to a presumptive diagnosis. In the case of renal coccidiosis, post mortem will reveal enlarged, pale grey coloured kidneys, with petechial haemorrhages on the capsule and tubules. Intestinal coccidiosis will have characteristic caseous core lesions on the intestines as well as them being enlarged and filled with a reddish brown fluid.
+Examination of a sample of the effected area under a microscope should reveal the oocysts and&nbsp;confirm the diagnosis.
+== Treatment and Control ==
+Control is based on good hygeine and husbandry such as good ventilation and&nbsp;trying to reduce the risk of wild geese contaminating the area.
+Treatment, if required is a dose of sulphonamides. Other anitcoccidial drugs should not be used as their safety in this species is unknown.
+== References ==
+Merck &amp; Co (2008) The Merck Veterinary Manual (Eighth Edition) Merial <br>Jordan, F, Pattison, M, Alexander, D, Faragher, T (1999) Poultry Diseases (Fifth edition) W.B. Saunders<br>Saif, Y.M. (2008) Disease of Poultry (Twelfth edition) Blackwell Publishing
+[[Category:Alimentary_Diseases_-_Birds]] [[Category:Coccidia]] [[Category:To_Do_-_Review]]