Friday, April 1, 2011

Parasitic Diseases HISTOMONOSIS

Parasitic Diseases

HISTOMONOSIS

362 362.. The histomonosis is a protozoan disease, caused by Histomonas meleagridis, and characterized by necrotizing lesions affecting the liver and the caeca. Clinically, sulfur-yellow coloured faeces and depression are observed. A characteristic feature is the blackening of the skin of the head (blackhead), due to cyanosis.
 
363 363.Pathoanatomically, bi¬lateral enlargement of caeca with thickening of walls is observed. The aetiological agent is Histomonas meleagridis, a polymorphic flagellate that is present as flagellate in caeca and as amoeba in tissues. The trophozoites survive for several hours in the environment but in Heterakis eggs, they remain infective for more than a year.
 
364 364.Often, the occurring typhlitis is the cause for adhesive peritonitis.
 
365 365.Susceptible species are turkeys, chickens, pheasants, rock partridges, guinea fowl, and geese. The turkeys are the most vulnerable between 3 and 12 weeks of age and chickens between 4 and 6 weeks of age. The caecal mucosa is usually ulcerated.
 
366 366.. The main vector is Heterakis gallinarum through the eggs, respectively the larvae, where Histomonas meleagridis forms are found. Some wild birds could also serve as vectors. The caecal content is often mixed with blood.
 
367 367.In older cases, crusts of dense caseous masses are formed into the carca that thicken this intestinal wall and reduce the lumen (top right: transverse cross section through caeca.)
 
368 369 368.369.Earth worms are mechanical vectors of H. gallinarum larvae. The main reservoirs of infection are hens and chickens. The morbidity rate amounts to 90% and the mortality rate to 70%. In the liver, irregularly outlined coagulation necroses with various size and colour, are observed.
 
370 371 370.371.Usually, necroses represent yellowish to grey or red (haemorrhagically infarcted), well delineated oci with diameter of about 1-2 cm. Diagnosis - it is made on the basis of the typical macroscopic lesions. When necessary, a histological study and phase-contrast microscopy of native preparations could be performed. Histomonosis should be differentiated from UE, coccidiosis and alimentary tract trichomonosis (Trichomonas gallinarum), where not counting the caeca, lesions are also present in the last third of small intestine.

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