Trichostrongylus tenius

Scientific Classification

Class	Nematoda
Superfamily	Strongyloidea

Hosts

Game birds, chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys.

Identification

The eggs are around 75μm in length, with a thin, smooth shell.

Life Cycle

The life-cycle and epidemiology of T. tenius is very similar to that of the Trichostrongylus species of ruminants, and hypobiosis can occur in winter. Eggs are past out in the faeces. The larvae develop in the heather, and are ingested by a host e.g. a grouse, when feeding on the heather. Worms are capable of surviving for up to 2 months, and are capable of causing damage to the intestine and the caecum.