# Blackhead-graphic pictures



## casportpony

Those that know me know that I have to deal with this dreadful disease every year, and it looks like I have another peahen with it. 

Went out to check on them this morning and saw my yearling hen looking quite ill, so I brought her in and weighed her. She's at 2555 grams, which is about 500 less than the last time I weighed her. 

Treatment will consist of metronidazole once, maybe twice a day for five days and de-worming with Safeguard (fenbendazole).


----------



## robin416

Why do you think it keeps reoccurring? Might help others if/when it crops up for them.


----------



## casportpony

robin416 said:


> Why do you think it keeps reoccurring? Might help others if/when it crops up for them.


Dawg can probably explain it better than I can, but I'll look for a good link and a picture that explain/show the lifecycle.


----------



## dawg53

Blackhead aka histomoniasis is a protozoa whose host is the cecal worm. The cecal worm is mainly carried by chickens. If the worm is infected with the protozoa, it can be deadly to turkeys but not necessarily in chickens. This is why chickens should be separated from turkeys. I'm not sure about peafowl, never owned any. Blackhead can be a continuing problem due to the cecal worms lifecycle (as with all worms)...worm eggs are excreted in feces onto the soil, contaminating the soil, to be picked up by chickens over and over again continuing the worms lifecycle. The only way to stop the worms lifecycle is a continuing worming program, rotating wormers prevents worm resistance. Casportpony is using the correct treatment regimen in order; metronidazole to treat the the protozoa infection, then the safeguard for the cecal worms.


----------



## robin416

Thinking on how to ask this and have it make sense. The cecal worm has to come in to contact with the protozoa to carry it, right? Does that mean the protozoa is in the environment any way? 

Also it would stand to reason that all birds be treated for cecal worms to break up the cycle?


----------



## dawg53

Correct Robin. The protozoa are in the soil and as a result, in cecal worm eggs, as well as earthworms.
It's a double edge sword with blackhead, gotta go after the protozoa first, then an ongoing worming schedule to stop the worms lifecycle. Soil conditions dictate how often to worm. Warm moist or wet soil requires frequent wormings. Cool/cold, mountainous or rocky soil, or desert like soil may require less frequent wormings.
Here where I live, our soil has been warm and moist most of the year. We've had almost daily afternoon thunderstorms all summer. Normally I would worm my birds once every 3 months, but have had to worm my birds sooner because they are kept on the same soil. Casportpony has her work cut out for her to save her peahen. Good luck Kathy.
cecal worms.jpg


----------



## pinkmartin

I still don't know when to worm. I have never seen anything and everyone is healthy. Tbh I hate the thought of throwing eggs away for a couple weeks. Have kinda been waiting for them to molt. Can I worm then?


----------



## robin416

I haven't wormed in years after reading a study done with horses and decided to experiment with my birds. Horses are wormed on a monthly basis normally. They decided to see what would happen if they didn't get wormed regularly. They found that horses with strong immune systems never developed an over load of intestinal worms.

My oldest bird is now ten, the next is nine. The youngest are six or seven years old. And then there's three others that are seven. No sign of worms. 

As Dawg mentioned, geographic conditions seem to play a large part in what programs are necessary. I did have one bird with capillaria years and years ago, only saw it the one time.


----------



## robin416

Dawg, wouldn't that mean the turkeys can pick up the protozoa without the helps of chickens just by being out in the dirt?


----------



## Alaskan

Goats are another species that tend to have a very high worm load, and usually need to be wormed on a regular basis.

However, some goats were left loose in New Zealand (wet, oodles of parasites etc.). Over the years the ones that managed to survive built up an awesome worm tolerance. These goats 1. Had WAY fewer parasites than a "regular" goat even when put on the same pasture and fed the same feed. They had developed a partial immunity to parasites!
2. The parasites that they did have naturally stayed at low levels.

So.... If you are willing to get a 100 chickens, and cull all of the ones that need to be wormed, or fed extra vitamins, etc. You will over the years end up with one impressively healthy flock.


----------



## pinkmartin

We always wormed our horses every 2 or 3 months. And I used a different wormer periodically to hopefully kill different worms. Made sense at the time. I guess I hadn't thought about it. But then, I didn't have to throw my horse's eggs away after worming either :-D I just hate to throw out eggs that I can either use or sell.


----------



## seminole wind

What is Histomoniasis? Symptoms?

The main reason I have silkies today is that it was my fault that my last silkie girl died. I wormed them but never wormed twice 10 days apart for cappilaria. Well those worms did the damage, and cocci and e. coli killed her. Prior to that 4 years ago, I gave someone 4 silkie hens and he put them in a pen with large openings and raccoons got them. About 3 years ago, my first silkie hen died and the daughter that was with her just stood in the same place for 2 days completely catatonic. 

So with the 10 I have now, who are 5 months old and vaccinated, I will be building them a palace in the shade to live in.


----------



## dawg53

Worms(eggs) are everywhere in the soil, on the soil, on the grass that chickens and other animals eat and graze...it's a fact....just like bacteria and other microorganisms are in the soil. People give their dogs a pill or tablet once a month to prevent internal and external parasites. Why not worm other animals? They are under our care, not running wild; we are responsible for their health, safety and welfare. What are the signs of worms in dogs? Lethargic, rough looking coat, puking, not eating or drinking, emaciation etc....AND that's without seeing worms in the dogs feces... not to mention internal damage that worms cause as well as weakening their immune system opening the door to other problems. Do you breed dogs for worm resistance? How many generations of dogs must be eliminated before achieving the goal of worm immunity? How much money are you willing to spend yearly on your dog to prevent worms and other parasites? Chickens are more susceptible picking up worms because they constantly peck the soil, that's what they do, more than any other animal. Chickens also eat insects which can be vectors for internal parasites. Symptoms of worms in chickens are basically the same as in dogs; lethargic, rough looking feathers, not eating or drinking, not laying eggs AND a chicken can be loaded with worms WITHOUT seeing worms in feces. Why would a worm leave its host when it's nice and comfy inside its host feeding and reproducing? When you see worms in feces; it's due to the fact that there's no more room in the digestive tract and they have no other place to go except out the rear end, or an adult worm has died and is excreted. Worms cause damage to intestinal lining effecting nutrient absorption needed for the chicken to survive. Chickens slowly starve to death and worm excrement poisons our chickens. One roundworm lays thousands of eggs to be deposited onto your soil in one day, and other birds pick the eggs up starting the worms lifecycle all over again. Breeding for resistance is the same thing as in dogs. How many generations of killing chickens is necessary to achieve this goal? Worms have been around since the beginning of time, they adapt to changing environmental conditions as well. Besides, chickens can carry many different types of worms; nematodes are roundworms. cestodes are tapeworms. trematodes are flukes. There are nematodes that effect the eyes, windpipe, gizzard, crop and esophagus. Are the chickens going to be bred to resist the worms that effect these organs as well as the worms that effect the digestive tract, ceca etc?
Remember, one worm is one worm too many. Worms effect health and egg production, period.
Dogs infected with hookworms can infect chickens and humans, dont go barefooted in your yard if your dog has hookworms.
Everyone is concerned about egg withdrawal periods. Worms can kill chickens, no hens means no eggs. Your hens should have priority, egg withdrawal is a small sacrifice to keep our birds healthy and happy for years to come. 
There are two effective wormers available for use without egg withdrawal periods: Rooster Booster Triple Action Multi wormer and Durvet Strike lll wormer. They are effective wormers. For those in the UK, use flubenvet.
The price of wormers are cheap for chickens. A 500ml bottle of Valbazen liquid cattle/sheep wormer will last years to the expiration date. Pretty much the same for the 125ml bottle of Safeguard liquid goat wormer. Pyrantel Pamoate is also a good wormer. I dont use ivermectin or eprinex anymore, worms have built resistance to both products due to their overuse as miteacides in poultry. As a matter of fact; northern fowl mites are resistant to ivermectin.
We already know what kind of damage worms do to humans.


----------



## casportpony

Found this picture and text:
"
*The Life Cycle and Infectious Pathway of Blackhead*

Blackhead occurs when the causal agent, the protozoan _Histomonas meleagridis_, gains access to the ceca, or blind pouches of the intestines. Blackhead infects poultry using three separate pathways that will be examined in detail in this publication:​
Ingestion of soil or earthworms containing eggs of the cecal worm _Heterakis gallinarum_, infected with _H. meleagridis_
Uptake of _H. meleagridis_ directly into the lower digestive tract through the process of "cloacal drinking"
Oral ingestion of live _H. meleagridis_ protozoa when stomach is not acidic enough to kill the pathogen
Once access into the digestive tract has been achieved, ​_H. meleagridis_ multiplies in the ceca and attacks the tissues of the cecal walls. As the disease progresses, a cheese-like, foul-smelling, yellow substance fills the ceca. This substance can vary in form from a hardened plug to more liquid in nature, and is composed of dead cecal cells and blood. In highly susceptible birds such as turkeys, the Blackhead protozoa then enter the bloodstream through the damaged ceca and are deposited into the liver, where they do even more damage, creating signature "bulls-eye" zones of necrosis (dead tissue). Occasionally, ​_H. meleagridis_ also enters into other organs such as the kidneys, lungs, heart, and brain. Blackhead does not kill the infected bird, and the disease requires a secondary bacterial infection to be virulent and eventually fatal. ​_Escherichia coli_, ​_Bacillus subtilis_, and ​_Clostridium sp._ are some of the bacteria noted in the secondary infections that caused death (​McDougald, 2005)."​Source: https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/viewhtml.php?id=343​​


----------



## casportpony

Turkeys and peafowl are the two species that are most susceptible to blackhead. Not positive, but maybe quail and pheasants, too.


----------



## casportpony

*"Cloacal drinking is the reflexive intake of fluids through the cloaca in order to inoculate the young bird's immune system with the microbial flora of the surrounding environment."*
Source: http://www.thepoultrysite.com/artic...-organic-poultry-blackhead-in-turkeys-part-1/


----------



## casportpony

dawg53 said:


> Correct Robin. The protozoa are in the soil and as a result, in cecal worm eggs, as well as earthworms.
> It's a double edge sword with blackhead, gotta go after the protozoa first, then an ongoing worming schedule to stop the worms lifecycle. Soil conditions dictate how often to worm. Warm moist or wet soil requires frequent wormings. Cool/cold, mountainous or rocky soil, or desert like soil may require less frequent wormings.
> Here where I live, our soil has been warm and moist most of the year. We've had almost daily afternoon thunderstorms all summer. Normally I would worm my birds once every 3 months, but have had to worm my birds sooner because they are kept on the same soil. Casportpony has her work cut out for her to save her peahen. Good luck Kathy.
> cecal worms.jpg


Thanks! Hopefully I found her in time.


----------



## casportpony

Dawg, have you ever heard of waterfowl getting blackhead?


----------



## seminole wind

I remember the first time I saw round worms this hen just pooped in front of me and it had live worms in it. Ewww. And these were the first chickens on the property ever.


----------



## casportpony

seminolewind said:


> I remember the first time I saw round worms this hen just pooped in front of me and it had live worms in it. Ewww. And these were the first chickens on the property ever.


Worms are nasty, lol. You ever seen equine roundworms? Saw them once in a weaning of mine, and they were *huge*!


----------



## pinkmartin

Very informative! Ok. I promise as soon as I have a chance, I will worm.


----------



## casportpony

Here she is today:


----------



## casportpony

Not all blackhead poop is yellow, just like not all yellow poop means your bird has blackhead, but this turkey did have blackhead:


----------



## casportpony

Regarding the picture in the last post... look how thin and unhealthy he looks!


----------



## dawg53

casportpony said:


> Dawg, have you ever heard of waterfowl getting blackhead?


I've never owned waterfowl, cant say.


----------



## casportpony

Today is day 5 of treatment and she's still alive, but I am very worried that I didn't catch it in time.


----------



## Alaskan

So sorry you are going through this!


----------



## casportpony

Alaskan said:


> So sorry you are going through this!


Thanks! Of course I feel terrible for not noticing her sooner.


----------



## casportpony

Here she is today before tube feeding. Up a few grams, which is better than down.








And here is her very unhealthy looking poop:


----------



## Alaskan

Poor girl!  

Dang! Forum won't let me rapid fire post!


----------



## robin416

Alaskan said:


> Poor girl!
> 
> Dang! Forum won't let me rapid fire post!


Which makes me wonder how do the spammers post all over the forum without getting caught.


----------



## casportpony

For those that are curious, here is what peafowl poop should look like.

This is what I call regular poop, it's the one the do most often:








And this is cecal poop, which they do a two or three times a day:


----------



## casportpony

Update - She looks like maybe she's feeling a little better. Still not interested in food or water, but runs away from me now.


----------



## seminole wind

Running away from you is a good sign, LOL!


----------



## casportpony

seminolewind said:


> Running away from you is a good sign, LOL!


OIt is, but that green poop is very disturbing!


----------



## casportpony

Very slight improvement today...


----------



## Alaskan

Very good to hear!


----------



## casportpony

She's pecking at food and drinking!


----------



## Alaskan

Excellent news!


----------



## casportpony

Looks like she might live!


----------



## MichaelA69

If you've dewormed and treated for more than 5 days with Metronidazole with no improvement, it could be bacterial. People often disregard common problems like Cholera (I've used sulfadimethoxine) and Staph/Clostridium (used Lincomycin). I know you are aware, Kathy. Just thought I'd put that out there.


----------



## casportpony

MichaelA69 said:


> If you've dewormed and treated for more than 5 days with Metronidazole with no improvement, it could be bacterial. People often disregard common problems like Cholera (I've used sulfadimethoxine) and Staph/Clostridium (used Lincomycin). I know you are aware, Kathy. Just thought I'd put that out there.


Quite right... E. Coli is almost always found with blackhead, so day two I decided to treat for most things peafowl get and added Baytril and Baycox to the metronidazole and Safeguard.

I'll never know what it was, but she's alive, so that's what counts. FWIW, in the past I have been instructed by my vet to give Baytril, metronidazole and Safeguard at the same time.


----------



## seminole wind

Well as long as they are compatible, it's a good cocktail.


----------



## casportpony

casportpony said:


> Those that know me know that I have to deal with this dreadful disease every year, and it looks like I have another peahen with it.
> 
> Went out to check on them this morning and saw my yearling hen looking quite ill, so I brought her in and weighed her. She's at 2555 grams, which is about 500 less than the last time I weighed her.
> 
> Treatment will consist of metronidazole once, maybe twice a day for five days and de-worming with Safeguard (fenbendazole).


I hate quoting myself, lol, but thought I should update with her new weight. As of yesterday she is 2750 grams!


----------



## Alaskan

Increase in weight is great!


----------



## casportpony

Alaskan said:


> Increase in weight is great!


I just weighed another her age and she weighs 3500, so still have a ways to go, but we're on the right track!


----------



## seminole wind

Does anyone know where to find a compatability chart for antibiotics? The only pair I know is Tylan and Corid, but not in a metal container or vitamins.


----------



## casportpony

seminolewind said:


> Does anyone know where to find a compatability chart for antibiotics? The only pair I know is Tylan and Corid, but not in a metal container or vitamins.


I haven't found a chart, but drug interactions are listed in the book I have (Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook). One could also google for one drug at a time.


----------



## casportpony

If you ever need to know about a drug, just ask and I'll take pictures of the info in the Plumb's book.


----------



## casportpony

Today she's 2777!


----------



## Alaskan

Do you know the dosage and usage of .25% permethrin powder for poultry lice?


----------



## casportpony

Alaskan said:


> Do you know the dosage and usage of .25% permethrin powder for poultry lice?


Let me check the % on mine.


----------



## casportpony

Okay, so mine is also .25%. The jar saws to use 1 pound per 100 chickens, but I think I use more than that. When I use it I apply it to the vent and under each wing and work it through their feathers. My peafowl get the lice on their heads, so with them I make a little pile of it and very carefully place it on their heads.


----------



## Alaskan

And is that all you do? Do you stick some in a dust bath mix?

It turns out that some of mine have pretty big egg cases.

Do I need to scrub the egg cases off somehow?


----------



## casportpony

You could also put it where they bathe, and in their coops. Mine free range, so too many places to put dust. I just wah they eggs like I normally would.


----------



## Alaskan

No.. I mean the lice egg cases... Stuck on the bottom of the feathers... Do you ignore them? Pick them off? Wash them off?

How often do you treat?

And so you do eat the chicken eggs? I thought that they needed to be tossed.


----------



## casportpony

Oh, sorry! If they have lots of feathers cased in eggs I will pluck the feathers. I think I read something about some type of oil that can be used, but plucking is easier for me. If you just leave them, which sometimes I do, you need to re-apply the dust in 7, 10 or 14 days. I think Dawg will know for sure how many days it is.

I eat the chicken eggs, but do what you're comfortable with.


----------



## seminole wind

We eat the eggs, but when the chickens are on meds, wormed, dusted, we don't give them out. Me and hubby like being wormfree, licefree, and ailment free. And sometimes cocci free.


----------



## Alaskan

All the warnings one the bottle of medication I bought scared me silly.


I am an organic person at heart


----------



## casportpony

Sigh... guess it's that time of year, 'cause it looks like another one is sick, though this one doesn't look as bad as the other one did. Current weight is 3300 grams, I think.


----------



## Alaskan

Arg! So sorry!


----------



## casportpony

Alaskan said:


> Arg! So sorry!


Thanks... Sucks to be me, lol.


----------



## seminole wind

Sorry I hope they do well.


----------



## MichaelA69

Are you sure it is Histomoniasis?


----------



## dawg53

Alaskan said:


> No.. I mean the lice egg cases... Stuck on the bottom of the feathers... Do you ignore them? Pick them off? Wash them off?
> 
> How often do you treat?
> 
> And so you do eat the chicken eggs? I thought that they needed to be tossed.


I've read that coconut oil removes lice eggs. 
When dusting birds, they should be redusted in 7-10 days. Lice become adults shortly after the tenth day, start to reproduce and lay eggs. Dusting before they become adults stops their lifecycle. Dont forget to dust coops in the same manner.


----------



## casportpony

MichaelA69 said:


> Are you sure it is Histomoniasis?


 No way of knowing for sure.


----------



## MichaelA69

casportpony said:


> No way of knowing for sure.


Is there diarrhea with a yellow,mustard color? Have you been using Metronidazole?


----------



## casportpony

MichaelA69 said:


> Is there diarrhea with a yellow,mustard color? Have you been using Metronidazole?


It's yellow, but not like this yellow:








Will get a picture of her next poop.

Started oral fluids, metronidazole and Baytril yesterday. Will give subcutaneous fluids this morning.


----------



## casportpony

This is poop from one with blackhead that I necropsied in 2013. It was taken about three hours before he died.








I have the necropsy pictures if anyone wants to see them.


----------



## seminole wind

I would want to see them.


----------



## casportpony

seminolewind said:


> I would want to see them.


Are you able to change the title of this thread to say "Blackhead - Graphic Pictures"?


----------



## casportpony

Another from the same pen is looking a little iffy, so gonna treat the whole pen. This is the one I just caught:


----------



## casportpony

Update... The hen started eating again yesterday!


----------



## Alaskan

Awesome! On eating...

ARG!!! on some looking iffy.


----------



## seminole wind

That'great!


----------



## casportpony

seminolewind said:


> That'great!


Was very scary there for several days... yellow and green poop like I have not seen before. There were also two days that she couldn't stand. She's still weak, but her poop is starting to look more normal.


----------



## casportpony

Alaskan said:


> Awesome! On eating...
> 
> ARG!!! on some looking iffy.


The iffy ones look better now!


----------



## seminole wind

Wow. Great recovery. Are peas hardier than chickens ?

I changed the title. If you want it changed back let me know.

Or you can just post a graphic picture, LOL LOL


----------



## casportpony

seminolewind said:


> Wow. Great recovery. Are peas hardier than chickens ?
> 
> I changed the title. If you want it changed back let me know.
> 
> Or you can just post a graphic picture, LOL LOL


In some ways they are harder than chickens, especially when it come to things like blackhead.

I was the title change and I will find the pictures from the three necropsies and post them.


----------



## casportpony

Okay here are some picture from October of 2013
*
Three hours before death*
















*Blackhead poop. Note that it's not very yellow, nor does it have any blood.*


----------



## casportpony

These were items that I found in his gizzard:


----------



## casportpony

here are the necropsy picture for bird #1


----------



## casportpony

more pictures of bird #1:


----------



## casportpony

This is bird number two:








Both were birds that I raised off the ground and sold to someone local. When I sold them they had not yet been on the dirt, so they got sick at their new home. I told the owner to call me if they ever looked off, but he waited until it was too late to call me. When he called, this one was already dead and the other one died three hours after I picked it up.


----------



## casportpony

Bird two's necropsy pictures:


----------



## casportpony

More bird two pictures:


----------



## casportpony

Later I'll go back thru add comments and delete some pictures.


----------



## casportpony

FWIW, I suspect that both died from massive E. coli infections, not liver failure.


----------



## seminole wind

How did you come to the conclusion of e. coli? I'd like to know for education. I know only obvious stuff.
Why does liver #1 have spots/tumors with a space in the middle, and #2 doesn't that I can see? In fact what would you think those spots are? 
I guess I need comments for all that stuff. I can't seem to narrow down my thoughts , LOL


----------



## dawg53

They died from Blackhead disease. The spots on the liver are a dead give away...literally.


----------



## casportpony

They had blackhead, but their intestines were leaking fecal material into their abdominal cavity. No doubt that they had blackhead , but I'd be willing to bet that they had were septic.


----------



## dawg53

I agree since it interacts with bacteria and other protozoa, the root cause being the blackhead protozoa. Infected earthworms, contaminated feces and infected cecal worms are vectors. Here's a more in depth link updated last year:
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/p...of_histomoniasis_in_poultry.html?qt=blackhead in poultry&alt=sh


----------



## seminole wind

Dawg's Link to the Article


Histomoniasis is caused by a protozoan that infects the ceca, and later the liver, of turkeys, chickens, and occasionally other galliform birds. In turkeys, most infections are fatal, whereas in other galliforms susceptibility varies between species and breeds.

Etiology

The causative agent of histomoniasis is the anaerobic, single cell protozoan parasite Histomonas meleagridis that can exist in flagellated (8–15 μm in diameter) and amoeboid (8–30 μm in diameter) forms. Histomonas is most often transmitted in embryonated eggs of the cecal nematode Heterakis gallinarum. A large percentage of chickens and other gallinaceous birds harbor this worm, which serves as a reservoir. Three species of earthworms can act as vectors for H gallinarum larvae containing H meleagridis, which are infective to both chickens and turkeys. H meleagridis survives for long periods within Heterakis eggs, which are resistant and may remain viable in the soil for years. Histomonads are released from Heterakis larvae in the ceca a few days after entry of the nematode and replicate rapidly in the ceca. The parasites migrate into the submucosa and muscularis mucosae and cause extensive and severe necrosis. Histomonads reach the liver either by the vascular system or via the peritoneal cavity, and rounded necrotic lesions quickly appear on the liver surface. Histomonads interact with other gut organisms, such as bacteria and coccidia, and depend on these for full virulence. In turkeys, transmission is by direct cloacal contact with infected birds or via fresh droppings, resulting in histomoniasis quickly spreading throughout the flock. Infection has not been shown to spread in this manner in chickens.

Traditionally, histomoniasis has been thought of as affecting turkeys, while doing little damage to chickens. However, outbreaks in chickens may cause high morbidity, moderate mortality, and extensive culling. Liver lesions tend to be less severe in chickens but often involve secondary bacterial infections. Morbidity can be especially high in young layer or breeder pullets. Layer flocks recover but lack uniformity. Experimental infections with Histomonas of 16-wk-old layers have demonstrated reduced egg production during infection. Tissue responses to infection may resolve in 4 wk, but birds may be carriers for another 6 wk.

Clinical Findings

Signs of histomoniasis are apparent in turkeys 7–12 days after infection and include listlessness, reduced appetite, drooping wings, unkempt feathers, and yellow droppings in the later stages of the disease. The origin of the name “blackhead” is obscure and misleading, with only a few birds displaying a cyanotic head. Young birds have a more acute disease and die within a few days after signs appear. Older birds may be sick for some time and become emaciated before death.
Lesions: 




The primary lesions of histomoniasis are in the ceca, which exhibit marked inflammatory changes and ulcerations, causing a thickening of the cecal wall. Occasionally, these ulcers erode the cecal wall, leading to peritonitis and involvement of other organs. The ceca contain a yellowish green, caseous exudate or, in later stages, a dry, cheesy core. Liver lesions are highly variable in appearance; in turkeys, they may be up to 4 cm in diameter and involve the entire organ. In some cases, the liver will appear green or tan. The liver and cecal lesions together are pathognomonic. However, the liver lesions must be differentiated from those of tuberculosis, leukosis, avian trichomonosis, and mycosis. Lesions are also seen in other organs, such as the kidneys, bursa of Fabricius, spleen, and pancreas. Studies by PCR show that Histomonas DNA can be found in the blood and in the tissues of most organs, whether lesions are present or not. Histopathologic examination is helpful for differentiation of diseases.





Histomonads are intercellular, although they may be so closely packed as to appear intracellular. The nuclei are much smaller than those of the host cells, and the cytoplasm less vacuolated. Scrapings from the liver lesions or ceca may be placed in isotonic saline solution for direct microscopic examination; Histomonas spp must be differentiated from other cecal flagellates. Molecular diagnosis is possible with published PCR primers.

Prevention and Treatment

Because healthy chickens and gamebirds often carry the cecal worm vector, any contact between turkeys and other galliforms should be avoided and care should be taken to reduce the worm population. Worm eggs, from contaminated soil, can be tracked inside by workers, causing infection. Arthropods such as flies may also serve as mechanical vectors. Because H gallinarum ova can survive in soil for many months or years, turkeys should not be put on ground contaminated by chickens. Once established in a turkey flock, infection spreads rapidly without a vector through direct contact. Dividing a facility into subunits using barriers can contain the outbreaks to specific units. Histomonads that are shed directly into the environment die quickly. Thus, in a turkey facility, where Heterakis is unable to complete its life cycle, decontamination is not required.

Immunization has only been partially successful in controlling histomoniasis, and reports differ on its effectiveness. The immune response of turkeys to live attenuated Histomonas requires 4 wk to develop. Vaccination of 18-wk-old pullets 5 wk before experimental infection has been shown to prevent a drop in egg production. Most workers have concluded that immunization of birds against this disease using live cultures is not practical. Killed organisms stimulate some immunity when given SC or IP but do not offer protection.

No drugs are currently approved for use as treatments for histomoniasis. Nitarsone is available for prophylaxis by feed medication. Nitarsone is mixed with the feed at 0.01875% and fed continuously. A 5-day withdrawal period is required for animals slaughtered for human consumption. Under most conditions, nitarsone is effective, although some outbreaks in turkeys on medication have been reported. Historically, nitroimidazoles such as ronidazole, ipronidazole, and dimetridazole were used for prevention and treatment and were highly effective. Some of these products can be used by veterinary prescription in non-food-producing birds. Frequent worming of chickens with benzimidazole anthelmintics helps reduce exposure to heterakid worms that carry the infection.


----------



## Alaskan

Wow! This stuff is super fascinating.


----------



## seminole wind

Isn't it? Kathy's got some incredible pics


----------



## MichaelA69

Wednesday of this week, I noticed a hen acting very lethargic the morning I was setting out feeders and drinkers before leaving for work that morning. Under the roost I noticed white urates where she was located. I picked her up and noticed she had lost weight. Since I dewormed as recently as July, and noticed gritty matter in the crop, but not full, I suspected it may be bacterial or protozoa.

I have 4 in 1 tabs which contain Furaltadone, an antibacterial, and Ronidazole an anti-protozoan. It is a recommended treatment for many problems which cause enteritis and trich. They are labeled as one tab for per 500 g of bird and generally prescribed for pigeons. The bird is small and weighing in at around 2 lbs. I have been giving 2 tabs each day since Wednesday and the bird is stronger now. I hope to see complete recovery soon. 

This guilts me as I am working so much these days and want to spend more time with birds. I am physically beat and tired, and only have time to really observe them late in the day shortly before sundown, and when I set out fresh feed/water, and clean up under roosts each morning while it is still dark. I don't know what I'd do without my Petzl headlamp.


----------



## seminole wind

I have a headlamp too. And I'm improving my lighting in the back.
Michael, I don't think you working a lot keeps you from checking on them often. You certainly do. Chickens get sick, develop ailments, and even die and would even if you slept out there with a sleeping bag. I have a very hard time too with not having control over them getting better. 

I think, too, that I have to consider the whole picture. Half of my flock is older, 6 to 8 years,and maybe aged chickens just don't bounce back from ailments easily. The 2 I lost to pox were 7 years old. I have 2 creveceours that I can't seem to keep weight on probably due to poor genes. 

I hope your hen gets better. How's the roo doing?


----------



## MichaelA69

seminolewind said:


> I have a headlamp too. And I'm improving my lighting in the back.
> Michael, I don't think you working a lot keeps you from checking on them often. You certainly do. Chickens get sick, develop ailments, and even die and would even if you slept out there with a sleeping bag. I have a very hard time too with not having control over them getting better.
> 
> I think, too, that I have to consider the whole picture. Half of my flock is older, 6 to 8 years,and maybe aged chickens just don't bounce back from ailments easily. The 2 I lost to pox were 7 years old. I have 2 creveceours that I can't seem to keep weight on probably due to poor genes.
> 
> I hope your hen gets better. How's the roo doing?


The hen is doing well and has her strength back. I watched her run straight to the feeder this morning when I let them out and made sure I saw her eating. I gave her a final dose tonight and she fought me like her old self. My rooster has that disfigured toe which will be a constant problem. It healed fine from the original infection. But since it is larger and softer, it is prone to abrasions and reinfection. He is lively and is otherwise healthy but I must keep it clean and bandaged daily. My 9 week old Ancona cockerel is doing great and growing like a weed.


----------



## seminole wind

Glad your hen is better.


----------



## casportpony

I'm also glad she is better.


----------

