The reproductive potential of Heterakis gallinarum in various species of galliform birds: Implications for survival of H. gallinarum and Histomonas meleagridis to recent times

Nodular typhlitis associated with the nematodes Heterakis gallinarum and Heterakis isolonche in pheasants: frequency and pathology with evidence of neoplasia

“…Perhaps related to this, strains of H. gallinarum from chickens were not so successful (in terms of the number of adult worms recovered, and the fecundity of females) when inoculated into turkeys (Lund et al 1970). In addition, in young chuckar partridges, larvae strains of H. gallinarum recovered from other domestic Galliformes, and thus not physiologically adapted to this host, frequently perforate the cecal wall causing peritonitis (Lund & Chute 1974). Hence, the obtained results suggest a general pattern whereby both parasite fitness and host pathology can be observed.…”

“…The nematode Heterakis gallinarum (Schrank, 1788) can frequently be found in the caeca of pheasants (Madsen 1941, Gilbertson & Huggins 1964, Greiner 1972, Draycott et al 2000 and although considered of low pathogenicity in single infections (Lund & Chute 1974), previous studies report to a more severe pathology induced by this nematode in domestic Galliformes causing nodular typhlitis, with the formation of inflammatory or granulomatous cecal nodules (Meads & Taylor 1963, Kaushik & Sharma Deorani 1969, Riddel & Gajadhar 1988, Khan et al 1994). …”

Heterakidosis and Nodular Granulomas Caused by Heterakis isolonche in the Ceca of Gallinaceous Birds

“…The severity of these cecal lesions was the major factor in the survival of H. gullinarum [ 5 ] . It also has been reported that in young chukar partridges, H. gullinarum larvae often perforate both the muscularis and the serosa of the ceca and produce peritonitis [13].…”

Pathobiology ofHeterakis gallinarummono-infection and co-infection withHistomonas meleagridisin layer chickens

“…H. gallinarum is one of the most frequently diagnosed nematodes within the digestive tract of galliform birds (Lund et al, 1970). Infection with H. gallinarum is generally subclinical, but the parasite may also function as a vector for Histomonas meleagridis, which is known to induce severe pathological lesions in the gut and liver and leads to high mortality rates in susceptible hosts (Gibbs, 1962;Springer et al, 1969;Lund & Chute, 1974;Esquenet et al, 2003). In contrast to the turkey, histomoniasis in the chicken is known to show a high morbidity but low mortality (McDougald, 2005).…”