Ascaridia galli - An old problem that requires new solutions

Testing Mini-FLOTAC for the Monitorization of Gastrointestinal Parasitic Infections in Birds Kept at Four Iberian Zoological Institutions

“…Nematodes were also detected in all bird collections, with A. galli eggs being identified in feces from laying hens of the "Amarela" breed, a result already described in previous research in autochthonous poultry breeds [43], and in peacocks as previously reported at Brazilian [18] and Iranian zoos [19]. This ascarid is the largest roundworm of Galliformes, and its pathogenicity is associated to the thickening the intestinal epithelium and appearance of hemorrhagic spots along with edema, as well as ulcerative proventriculitis, leading to diarrhea and anemia, and with the accumulation of adult forms being capable of blocking the GI lumen in more severe infections [33,[50][51][52], and thus being of clinical importance for ornithological collections.…”

Ascaridia galli, a common nematode in semiscavenging indigenous chickens in Bangladesh: epidemiology, genetic diversity, pathobiology, ex vivo culture, and anthelmintic efficacy

“…Furthermore, in young chickens (<3 mo of age), the worm matures rapidly and the histotrophic phase of A. galli in young chickens is also shorter ( Permin et al, 1997 ; Shohana et al, 2023 ). In addition, the older host is able to mount an immune response to the penetrating larvae, and the larvae do not develop into adults, but hide in the mucosa of the small intestine ( Brar et al, 2016 ; Höglund et al, 2023 ) . From this study and the knowledge generated from other research ( Shohana et al, 2023 ), it is clear that young birds are more likely to be infected with A. galli , therefore, young birds particularly ≤3 mo of age should be reared separately.…”

“…Eggs passed with feces embryonate within 2 to 3 wk in the environment with appropriate humidity and temperature ( Samour, 2016 ). Chickens become infected by ingesting the infective eggs containing third larval stage (L3) ( Höglund et al, 2023 ). However, earthworms serve as transport hosts that ingest and accumulate the infective eggs (eggs with L3), and carry the infective stage ( Permin et al, 1997 ).…”

“…In heavy infection, adult parasites can cause intestinal obstructions, which in turn can lead to reduced nutrient absorption and depletion of fat reserves in the liver ( Daş et al, 2010 ; Sharma et al, 2018 ; Torres et al, 2019 ; Feyera et al, 2022 ). Adult worms may also migrate into the oviduct, and become incorporated in eggs ( Höglund et al, 2023 ). Heavy infection is the major cause of atrophy of the thigh and breast muscles, resulting in weight loss.…”