Abstract
Matched samples of 100 chickens of each of growers and adult rural free-range chickens in Morogoro, Tanzania, were purchased from the beginning to the end of the long rainy season. At necropsy, the trachea, the gastrointestinal tract and the oviduct were examined for helminth infections. The helminth species isolated comprised 18 nematodes and 8 cestodes but no trematodes. Tetrameres fissispina is a new record in Tanzania. All the chickens harboured at least three different helminth species. Growers contained 4–14 and adults 3–12 helminth species. The number of species isolated per chicken increased as the rainy season advanced. The prevalence of the following species were significantly higher in growers than in adults (p<0.05); Ascaridia galli (69% of growers, 29% of adults); Syngamus trachea (14%, 3%); Tetrameres americana (94%, 82%); Trichostrongylus tenuis (43%, 7%); Choanotaenia infundibulum (15%, 6%); Davainea proglottina (9%, 2%); and Raillietina tetragona (36%, 21%). Allodapa suctoria (3%, 20%) and Capillaria annulata (1%, 10%) had a significantly lower prevalence in growers than in adults (p<0.05). There were significantly higher worm burdens (p<0.05) in growers than in adults for A. galli, Capillaria caudinflata, R. tetragona, S. trachea, T. americana, T. fissispina and T. tenuis. Conversely, A. suctoria and C. annulata showed significantly higher worm burdens in adults (p<0.05). The sex of the chickens influenced the burdens of Heterakis brevispiculum (p<0.05). There was an interaction effect such that growing males and adult females had statistically higher (p<0.05) burdens of T. tenuis and A. suctoria, respectively.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Analytical Software, 1998. Computer software Statistix for Windows, version 2.0, (Analytical Software, Tallahassee, FL)
Brown, D.S., 1980. Freshwater Snails of Africa and Their Medical Importance, (Tylor and Francis, London)
Fakae, B.B., Umeorizu, J.M. and Orajaka, L.J.E., 1991. Gastrointestinal helminth infections of the domestic fowl (Gallus gallus) during the dry season in Eastern Nigeria. Journal of African Zoology, 105, 503-508
Fatihu, M.Y., Ogbogu, V.C., Njoku, C.O. and Saror, D.I., 1992. Observations on lesions associated with some gastrointestinal nematodes of chicken in Zaria, Nigeria. Bulletin of Animal Production in Africa, 40, 15-18
Fatunmbi, O.O. and Adene, D.F., 1979. Occurrence and pathogenicity of tetrameriasis in guinea fowl and chickens in Nigeria. The Veterinary Record, 105, 330
Hodges, R.D., 1974. The Histology of The Fowl, (Academic Press, London)
Islam, M.R., Shaikh, H. and Baki, M.A., 1988. Prevalence and pathology of helminth parasites in domestic ducks of Bangladesh. Veterinary Parasitology, 29, 73-77
Martin, S.Y., Meek, A.H. and Willeberg, P., 1987. Veterinary Epidemiology: Principles and Methods, (Iowa State University Press, Ames, IA), 80
Mpoame, M. and Agbede, G., 1995. The gastrointestinal helminth infections of domestic fowl in Dschang, Western Cameroon. Revue d'Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, 48, 147-151
Msanga, J.F. and Tungaraza, R., 1985. The incidence of external and internal parasites of indigenous poultry in Mwanza Municipality, Tanzania. Tanzania Veterinary Bulletin, 7, 11-13
Negese, T., 1993. Prevalence of diseases, parasites and predators of local chickens in Leku, Southern Ethiopia. Bulletin of Animal Health and Production in Africa, 41, 317-321
Otaru, M.M.M. and Nsengwa, G.R.M., 1985. A study on prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth parasites of local poultry in Mtwara. Tanzania Veterinary Bulletin, 7, 20-24
Oyeka, C.A., 1989. Prevalence of intestinal helminths in poultry farms in Anambra State, Nigeria. Bulletin of Animal Health and Production in Africa, 37, 217-220
Permin, A., Magwisha, H., Kassuku, A.A., Nansen, P., Bisgaard, M., Frandsen, F. and Gibbons, L., 1997. A cross-sectional study of helminths in rural scavenging poultry in Tanzania in relation to season and climate. Journal of Helminthology, 71, 233-240
Poulsen, J., Permin, A., Hindsbo, O., Yelifari, L., Nansen, P. and Bloch, P., 2000. Prevalence and distribution of gastrointestinal helminths and haemoparasites in young scavenging chickens in Upper Eastern Region of Ghana, West Africa. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 45, 237-245
Reid, W.M. and McDougald, L.R., 1997. Cestodes and trematodes. In: B.W. Calnek, H.J. Barnes, C.W. Beard, L.R. McDougald and Y.M. Saif (eds), Diseases of Poultry, 10th edn, (Mosby Wolfe, London), 850-864
Ruff, M.D. and Norton, R.A., 1997. Nematodes and acanthocephalans. In: B.W. Calnek, H.J. Barnes, C.W. Beard, L.R. McDougald and Y.M. Saif (eds), Diseases of Poultry, 10th edn, (Mosby Wolfe, London), 815-850
Shamsul-Islam, A.W.M., 1985. Prevalence of helminth parasites of domestic fowls in Zambia. Poultry Adviser, 18, 47-51
Soulsby, E.J.L., 1982. Helminths, Arthropods and Protozoa of Domesticated Animals, 7th edn, (Baillière Tindall, London), 809
Ssenyonga, G.S.Z., 1982. Prevalence of helminth parasites of domestic fowl (Gallus gallus) in Uganda. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 14, 201-204
Thrusfield, M., 1995. Veterinary Epidemiology, 2nd edn, (Blackwell Scientific, Oxford)
Yadav, A.K. and Tandon, V., 1991. Helminth parasitism of domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus L.) in subtropical high rainfall area of India. Beitrage zur Tropischen Landwirtschaft und Veterinarmedizin, 29, 97-104
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Magwisha, H., Kassuku, A., Kyvsgaard, N. et al. A Comparison of the Prevalence and Burdens of Helminth Infections in Growers and Adult Free-Range Chickens. Tropical Animal Health and Production 34, 205–214 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015278524559
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015278524559