They are the most common and important helminth species affecting poultry. About 50 species have been described in poultry. They include
Ascaridia gali
Heterakis gallinarum
Capillaria annulata
Capillaria longicollis
Capillaria columbae
Syngamus trachea.
These helminth parasites are large thick yellowish white worms found in the small intestine of poultry and occasionally oviduct, esophagus, crop, gizzard, body cavity. It affects chickens, turkeys, doves, ducks, geese and guinea fowl of 1-3 month of age.
Clinical signs
They are enteritis, stunted growth, anaemia, mortality in heavy infection, adult worm out in the faeces.
Post-mortem lesions
Enteritis
Adult worm in the intestine
Diagnosis
This is based on history, clinical signs and post-mortem lesions.
Identification of the ova in the faeces of affected poultry.
Presence of adult worm in the faeces.
Treatment
The following anthelmintics can be administered;
Piperazine compounds
Flubendazole
Thiabendazole
Levamisole
Phenothiazine
These helminthes parasites resides in the caeca of fowls, turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowls, pheasants and quails. The eggs of the caecal worm is important in the transmission of Histomonas meleagridis, the parasite that causes black head disease in turkeys.
Clinical signs include diarrhea and anorexia.
Post-mortem lesion
Inflammation of the caeca.
Diagnosis
There is presence of eggs in faeces( smaller, thin shelled and operculated unlike that of Ascaridia galli).
Treatment
The following anthelmintics can be used;
Piperazine compounds.
Levamisole.
Phenothiazine.
Thiabendazole
Flubendazole.
The species that affects poultry include
Capillaria longicollis
Capillaria columbae
Capillaria annulata.
These are hair-like helminthes with barrel-shaped eggs plugged at both ends. They reside in the entire intestinal tract and generally affect chickens, turkeys, geese, guinea fowls, pheasants and pigeons.
Clinical signs include diarrhea, emaciation, death in very heavy ingestion.
Post-mortem lesion include large number of worms in the gastrointestinal tract.
Diagnosis : presence of barrel-shaped eggs in the faeces.
Treatment
The following anthelmintics can be used;
Flubendazole.
Thiabendazole.
Phenothiazine.
Piperazine.
Levamisole.
These are blood sucking helminth parasites found in the trachea and lungs of pheasants, chickens, turkeys, geese, guinea fowls, quails and pea fowls. The helminthes are characteristically red with male and female permanently joined in copulation forming a Y shape.
Clinical signs include anaemia seen in pale comb and wattle, tracheitis, coughing, gapping caused by the presence of large number of worms which occludes the respiratory passage, death due to asphyxiation.
Post-mortem lesion includes red coloured helminth that are in permanent copulation in the trachea.
Diagnosis is based on history, clinical signs and post-mortem lesion and presence of eggs in the faeces.
Treatment
The following anthelmintics can be used;
Piperazine.
Phenothiazine.
Thiabendazole.
Flubendazole.
Levamisole.