Endocrine changes in the fowl during infection with Eimeria maxima

Plasma concentrations of thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), prolactin, growth hormone and corticosterone were measured in immature domestic fowl which were infected with Eimeria maxima, uninfected but given the same amount of food as those infected (pair-fed) or fed ad libitum. Infection with E maxima caused a decrease in plasma T4 concentration whereas pair feeding caused an increase when food intake was minimal. Plasma T3 concentrations were decreased similarly in both infected and pair-fed birds. Infection caused an increase in plasma prolactin concentration, whereas pair-feeding did not. The plasma concentration of growth hormone was not affected by any of the treatments. Plasma corticosterone concentration was markedly increased on days 5 and 6 in pair-fed birds but was not affected by infection with E maxima.     

Effect and repeatability of Ascaridia galli egg output in cockerels following a single low dose infection

Three groups of caged 20 Tetra-SL cockerels aged 1 day were orally infected with 30, 60 or 125 embryonated Ascaridia galli eggs. After 11, 12 and 13 weeks, faecal egg counts (FECs) were determined. All birds were slaughtered after the last sampling. A group of 25 control birds was sampled and slaughtered in parallel. The gastrointestinal tracts were examined for the presence of adult stages of A. galli. A random sample of 10% was also examined for the presence of immature stages of A. galli. The group with an infection dose of 125 eggs showed the highest average worm burden (p<0.05) and number of females (p<0.05), but the mean establishment rate was the lowest in this group. There was no significant difference in the mean logFEC between the groups. The logFEC per female worm was the highest in the low infection group (p<0.05). The average worm length and weight and the birds body weight were not significantly different among the groups. The estimated repeatabilities for mean logFEC of the different samples were reasonably high (0.55-0.87). This may open a way of genetic selection for A. galli resistance in chickens, which will be of importance for birds kept in alternative and organic farming systems.     

Outbreak of disseminated zygomycosis and concomitant pulmonary aspergillosis in breeder layer cockerels

Disseminated zygomycosis and concomitant pulmonary aspergillosis were diagnosed in breeder layer cockerels. Five- to 9-week-old breeder layer cockerels with a history of an increased mortality rate were presented to a diagnostic laboratory for examination. On necropsy, large, multifocal, firm, tan, nodules were observed in the lungs, air sacs, peritoneum, livers, spleens and kidneys. On histopathology, mixed populations of zygomycetes and Aspergillus hyphae were observed in the granulomas in the lungs, and zygomycete hyphae were observed in the granulomas in the air sacs, peritoneum, livers, spleens and kidneys. No bacteria were isolated from any of the lesions. Aspergillus fumigatus was isolated from the lung lesions only and hyphae that were consistent with those of a Rhizopus spp. were isolated from the lesions in several organs. Pullets, which were kept together with the cockerels from the day they were hatched, were not affected. The absence of infection in the pullets, which were kept together with the cockerels, suggests that the cockerels were either infected during incubation, with the fungi penetrating the egg shell, or that they were infected during hatching before they were mixed with the pullets.     

Feeding responses to infusions of glucose solutions into the duodenum of cockerels and the influences of pre-fasting or vagotomy

1. The duodenum of cockerels was chronically catheterised, to study the effects of 3 h infusions of glucose solutions on voluntary food intake. 2. Compared to water, solutions containing 30, 60 and 90 g glucose/l infused at 1 ml/min induced significant, dose-related depressions in intake after the first 30 min of infusion. 3. Fasting the birds for 3 h before the start of infusion resulted in higher intakes during the period of infusion than in unfasted birds. 4. Vagotomy at the level of the proventriculus prevented the inhibitory effects of glucose infusion into the duodenum, except at the highest concentration (120 g/l).     

The effect of nitrovin on the kinetics of sulphadimidine in domestic fowl of different ages

In experiment on cockerels, the interaction of sulphadimidine with nitrovin manifested itself in an effect on the distribution of sulphadimidine, and particularly on its bloodlevel; this depended, among other factors, on the age of the animals. At nitrovin medication, the bloodlevels of sulphadimidine were higher, mainly soon after administration, and their drop was quicker than in untreated animals. This effect on the levels of sulphadimidine in the blood was pronounced in three-week-old chickens, whereas in older birds it was feeble or absent. Except the higher level 30 min. after application to.five-week-old chickens given feed with 120 g t-1 of nitrovin, the differences were statistically insignificant. The changes in the concentration of sulphonamide in the liver and kidneys corresponded with the changes observed in the blood; the concentration in muscle was not affected by nitrovin under the given conditions. The favourable effect of nitrovin on weight gains, demonstrated in principle during the experiment, was directly dependent upon the concentration of nitrovin in feed. As to the effect of the length of its administratiion, the three-day administration of nitrovin (before weighing) to cockerels up to five weeks of age had a better influence on gains than administration from the sixth day after the medicated of the chickens. In older cockerels the gains were better in the groups treated for a longer time, i. e. from the sixth day from hatching.     

Effect of reticuloendotheliosis virus on the response of chickens to Salmonella typhimurium infection

Groups of 25 chickens free of maternal antibody to reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) were inoculated with either third or seventh passage REV at either one or seven days of age. Some of the birds inoculated at day 1 with REV were inoculated with Salmonella typhimurium either concurrently or six or 13 days later while some of those inoculated with REV at day 7 were inoculated concurrently with S typhimurium. At day old, infection with S typhimurium alone caused the death of 12 of 25 chicks whereas in the dual infection, using the third passage REV, 18 of 25 birds died. Similarly no seven or 14 day old chickens died when challenged with S typhimurium alone, but previous day-old infection with REV caused a respective mortality of eight of 25 and five of 25 birds. With the seventh passage REV a similar pattern was seen. At day old S typhimurium infection alone killed seven of 25 birds whereas combined with virus the mortality was 14 of 25 and while S typhimurium alone killed none of 25 chicks infected at seven days old, the mortality in birds also infected with REV was 14 of 25. Combined virus and bacterial infections did not increase the proportion of feathering defects in birds surviving S typhimurium infections. There was a significantly higher proportion of feathering defects in birds infected with third passage virus compared with seventh passage virus. Although a higher proportion of birds had antibody responses to REV in the seventh than in the third passage group, there was no discernible difference in the effect the different viruses had on chickens' susceptibility to S typhimurium.     

Energy and nitrogen metabolism of diseased chickens: interaction of Ascaridia galli infestation and vitamin A status.

1. Effects of Ascaridia galli infection on the energy and nitrogen (N) metabolism were studied on groups of 5 cross-bred cockerels aged about 5 weeks and given a diet deficient or adequate in vitamin A at two levels of feeding in respiration chambers. 2. Metabolisability of dietary energy was 67% and N retention 33% in infected chickens compared with 71 and 41% respectively, in uninfected chickens. 3. Maintenance energy requirement of vitamin A-deficient birds was 882 kJ/kgW d compared with 998 kJ/kgW d for normal birds. N balance of the deficient chickens was also less when compared at the same energy balance. Infection did not affect maintenance energy requirement nor N balance. 4. Starvation heat production of infected chickens (619 kJ/kgW d) was higher than that of uninfected controls (586 kJ/kgW d). When infection treatments were combined, vitamin A-adequate chickens had a higher heat production (615 kJ/kg d) than the vitamin A-deficient (580 kJ/kgW d). Endogenous N excretion (mg/gW) was less in vitamin A-deficient than in adequate, starved birds. 5. Deficient chickens had undetectable liver reserves of vitamin A and only very low plasma concentrations. There was a difference in the length of larvae (17 d after infection) associated with vitamin A status, and with level of feeding.     

Demonstration in live chickens of the carrier state in infectious laryngotracheitis

Two separate groups of nine-week-old specific pathogen free cockerels maintained in isolation were infected with a field strain of infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) virus, either by intratracheal or combined intranasal and supraconjunctival inoculation. Birds were monitored for virus shedding from five sites on alternate days during the acute phase and three times weekly until week 17. They were then treated with cyclophosphamide on three consecutive days and thereafter swabbed daily. During the acute phase clinical signs were observed and virus was recovered from ocular and nasal sites for up to six to eight days. Initially after the acute phase no virus could be detected. However, from the seventh week after infection intermittent, apparently spontaneous shedding was detected in four of five birds in each group. There was no clear effect of cyclophosphamide treatment on re-excretion patterns, possibly because of the high levels of virus shedding already occurring. Thus, a carrier state for ILT virus has been demonstrated experimentally in live clinically recovered birds.     

J亚群禽白血病病毒与禽网状内皮增生症病毒共感染对肉鸡生长和免疫功能的抑制作用

1日龄网鸡感染J亚群禽白血病病毒(ALV-J)以及共感染禽网状内皮增生症病毒(REV)后,肉鸡生长发育明显受阻,体重增重明显下降(P＜0.05),法氏囊、胸腺明显萎缩(P＜0.05),在用新城疫疫苗免疫后,感染组血清中新城疫抗体效价显著低于对照组(P＜0.05);在ALV-J和REV共感染后,这种抑制作用更为明显(P＜0.01).ALV J单独感染后,鸡对传染性法氏囊病病毒(IBDV)弱毒疫苗免疫后的抗体反应与对照组没有明显差别,但ALV-J与REV的共感染可明显延缓鸡对IBDV弱毒疫苗免疫的抗体反应.     

The ability ofStomoxys calcitrans and mechanical means to transmitTrypanosoma (brucei) evansi from goats to camels in Kenya

Stomoxys calcitrans failed to transmitTrypanosoma (b.) evansi from infected goats to other goats or camels, but the trypanosomal infection was transmitted by needle prick from infected goats to camels.Abbreviations HCT haematocrit concentration technique     

The effect of Plasmodium gallinaceum on a challenge infection with Ascaridia galli in chickens

The effect of a primary infection with the haemoparasite Plasmodium gallinaceum on the establishment of a challenge infection with the nematode Ascaridia galli in chickens was studied. Four groups were infected as follows. Group 1: inoculated intravenously with 10(6) P. gallinaceum-infected erythrocytes on day 0; group 2: orally infected with 500 embryonated A. galli eggs on day 10; group 3: infected with P. gallinaceum on day 0 and A. galli on day 10; and group 3: non-infected control birds. The results of this investigation demonstrates that a primary infection with P. gallinaceum in chickens alters the course of a subsequent infection with A. galli. Thus, an antagonistic effect was seen in which the malaria infection caused a significant reduction on the establishment of the nematode in concurrently infected animals.     

Plasma concentrations of luteinising hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, androgen, growth hormone, prolactin, thyroxine and triiodothyronine during growth and sexual development in the cockerel

Changes in concentrations of plasma luteinising hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), androgen, growth hormone (GH), prolactin (Prl), thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) were measured during growth and sexual maturation in broiler cockerels reared in continuous light to 7 weeks and 14 h light/d thereafter. Concentrations of LH and FSH began to increase between 13 and 15 weeks, while those of androgens increased between 16 and 17 weeks. FSH concentration increased faster than that of LH. Concentrations of GH and Prl were high at 3 weeks; that of GH decreasing progressively between 3 and 14 weeks of age and thereafter remaining low, while that of Prl was low between 5 and 9 weeks, relatively high between 10 and 13 weeks, and then temporarily decreasing before increasing progressively during sexual maturation. Concentrations of T3 and T4 were higher in juvenile than in adult birds.     

Haematological changes in domestic fowl experimentally infected with the cestode Raillietina tetragona (Molin, 1858)

Haematological alterations in domestic fowl following three levels of infection with 20, 50 and 100 cysticercoids of Raillietina tetragona (Eucestoda) have been studied over a period of 8 weeks. The infected birds showed significant haemoglobin depression. There was no significant change in the packed cell volume (PCV), RBC counts or mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH). In all three levels of infection, the calculated mean corpuscular volume (MCV) increased, while the mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) decreased considerably. Macrocytic anaemia along with hypochromia could be noticed during different periods of infection. Total white cell count diminished significantly in infected birds. There was a significant lymphocytopenia concurrent with a significant increase in the percentage of heterophilic elements. Eosinophilia was not a consistent feature. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) increased significantly in infected birds. The changes in the blood picture were more pronounced in birds infected with 50 and 100 cysticercoids.     

Biochemical changes in blood and uterine fluid of fowl following experimental EDS'76 virus infection

The pH, pCO2, and pO2 values and the concentrations of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, phosphorus, bicarbonate, base excess, protein, glucose, as well as the activity of alkaline phosphatase and malate dehydrogenase were determined in the venous blood and uterine fluid of control and EDS'76 virus-infected fowl. Moreover, the pH of the mucosa of different parts of the oviduct was measured. Hens were examined in the period from 10 to 24 days following infection; blood and uterine fluid samples were collected approximately 14 hours after oviposition, provided a plumped egg was present in the uterus. Examination of blood and pH measurement of oviduct mucosa did not yield significant differences between infected and noninfected hens. In comparison with noninfected control birds, the mean sodium concentration of the uterine fluid of infected hens producing soft shelled or shell-less eggs had evidently increased, while the mean concentration of potassium, calcium, magnesium and glucose had decreased. Similar differences were also observed between infected hens producing normally shelled eggs and infected hens producing abnormally shelled eggs. No significant differences between infected and not infected hens were observed concerning the other values determined in the uterine fluid. It is concluded that functional disturbances which account for shell aberrations following EDS'76 virus infection are located in the surface epithelial cells of the uterine mucosa. These disturbances are very probably initiated by a depressed function of the sodium pump. All changes observed in the uterine fluid of infected hens could be explained by this depressed function.     

Serological survey of the infectious disease status of Old English Game fowl in the lower North Island, New Zealand

AIM: To investigate the serological status of Old English Game (OEG) cockerels for a range of infectious diseases of poultry. METHODS: Standard methods were used to screen serum collected from approximately 200 birds during routine dubbing operations, in 2004 and 2005. RESULTS: There was no serological evidence of infection with Newcastle disease, infectious bursal disease, or Salmonella Pullorum. Antibodies to infectious bronchitis virus, avian encephalomyelitis (AE) virus, Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma synoviae were detected. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The disease status of OEG birds is similar to that of commercial poultry.     

Effects of prostaglandin F2 alpha on prolactin secretion in the fowl

The plasma concentration of prolactin in immature cockerels was increased between 10 and 40 min after the intravenous administration of prostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha (200 micrograms/kg body weight). Lower doses had no effect on plasma prolactin concentration. The addition of PGF2 alpha (10(-9) to 10(-6) M) to incubation media had no effect on the basal release of pituitary prolactin but reduced the release of prolactin from pituitary-hypothalamus co-incubations. The addition of noradrenaline (10(-7) M), serotonin (10(-7) M), acetylcholine (10(-6) M) or histamine (10(-6) M) to the co-incubation increased the hypothalamus-induced prolactin release, although these effects were not observed in the presence of 10(-7) M PGF2 alpha. The in vitro release of pituitary prolactin was increased by adding chicken hypothalamic extract in the presence or absence of PGF2 alpha. These results suggest a dual effect on PGF2 alpha of prolactin secretion in the fowl; its stimulation in vivo may result from a peripheral action.     

药物对球虫感染鸡血液及生化指标的影响

1日龄艾维因肉鸡分为 4个组 ,即中药组、马杜霉素组、感染不给药组和不感染不给药组 ,每组 2 0只。中药组从 1日龄开始即投喂含 0 .1%中草药复方制剂 (由绞股蓝皂甙、去油鸦胆子仁等组成 )的饲料 ;马杜霉素组从 12日龄起投喂含马杜霉素 5 mg/ kg的饲料。前 3组于 14日龄感染鸡柔嫩艾美耳球虫孢子化卵囊。卵囊攻击前及攻击后 4、7d分别采血 ,测定血液红细胞数、血钾、血钠、血磷、血清白蛋白和血清总蛋白含量。结果表明 ,卵囊攻击后 4、7d,感染不给药组的红细胞数显著低于其他各组 (P<0 .0 5 ) ,卵囊攻击后 7d,血钾浓度显著高于其他各组 (P<0 .0 5 ) ,血清白蛋白和血清总蛋白显著低于其他各组 (P<0 .0 5 ) ;卵囊攻击后 7d,中药组血液红细胞数显著低于不感染不给药组 (P<0 .0 5 ) ,但显著高于感染不给药组 (P<0 .0 5 ) ;马杜霉素组的各项测定指标与不感染不给药组相比无显著差异 (P>0 .0 5 ) ;卵囊攻击后 ,各组间的血磷和血糖值无显著差异 (P>0 .0 5 )。结果提示 ,药物能抵抗球虫感染 ,血液各项指标得以保持相对恒定。     

The effects of age, route of exposure, and coinfection with infectious bursal disease virus on the pathogenicity and transmissibility of chicken anemia agent (CAA)

Specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens were inoculated with several different concentrations of chicken anemia agent (CAA) by the intra-abdominal, intratracheal, or oral routes. Based on lowered hematocrit values, the birds were most susceptible to CAA introduced by the intra-abdominal route. When SPF chickens were infected with infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) at 1 day of age, they remained susceptible to CAA up to at least 21 days, whereas birds inoculated with CAA alone were susceptible only at 1 day of age. Infectious bursal disease virus introduced at 1 day of age also increased the susceptibility of birds to contact infection with CAA and resulted in increased mortality rates in CAA inoculates. The response of SPF birds to CAA infection varied following exposure at 1 day of age to two different strains of IBDV (STC and Variant-E). Chicken anemia agent contacts and inoculates infected with the Variant-E strain were affected 1 week earlier by CAA than by STC inoculates, as evidenced by depressed hematocrits. However, the total number of birds affected was similar for both the Variant-E and STC-inoculated chickens. Commercial broiler chickens inoculated at 1, 7, 10, and 14 days of age by non-parenteral routes with CAA or a combination of CAA and IBDV had mean hematocrits that were lower than controls. Several CAA-inoculated birds were considered anemic, with hematocrit values of 25 or less, while uninoculated birds remained within normal ranges.     

High-fat feeding and staphylococcus intermedius infection impair beta cell function and insulin sensitivity in mongrel dogs

As obesity is a state of low-grade inflammation, we aimed to investigate the combined effect of high-fat diet and bacterial infection on β-cell function and insulin sensitivity in dogs. We used 20 healthy, male, mongrel dogs randomly divided into four groups: control group—healthy, non-obese dogs; infected group—non-obese dogs with experimentally induced infection (Staphylococcus intermedius); obese group—obese dogs (after 90 day high-fat diet) and obese-infected group—obese dogs with experimentally induced infection (Staphylococcus intermedius). To evaluate insulin sensitivity and β-cell function an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) was performed. Plasma insulin increased in all group after glucose infusion. The lowest values were found in obese-infected group. Blood glucose also increased on 3 min after glucose infusion and then gradually decreased. In obese-infected group glucose concentration on 30 min was still significantly higher than initial levels, while in other groups glucose concentration returned to the initial values. The lowest rate of glucose elimination was found in infected group. In dogs of obese group and obese-infected group AUC_{ins 0–60 min} was lower compared to controls. AUC_{glucose 0–60 min} values were lowest in infected group, while in obese-infectd group values were the highest. Levels of ∆I/∆G in dogs of obese-infected group were significantly lower compared to controls and infected group. In conclusion, these results reveal that infection in obese dogs leads to impaired glucose tolerance, which is result of impairment in both insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity.     

Anticoccidial efficacy of diclazuril in pheasants

Diclazuril, a new anticoccidial drug, was tested in young pheasants artificially infected with the three most common pathogenic species of Eimeria, E colchici, E duodenalis and E phasiani. In two replicate experiments each with 40 birds the mortalities in the infected controls were 50 and 25 per cent. Diclazuril was administered in the feed at dose levels of 1, 2 and 4 ppm from the day before the inoculation of coccidia until the end of the test on day 6 after infection. The 1 ppm dose failed to inhibit the development of the parasite completely, as was shown by a reduction of the weight gain of the birds and the output of a small number of oocysts. Diclazuril at 2 or 4 ppm adequately controlled the infection, with weight gains similar to those of the uninfected controls. At all dose levels, mortality, intestinal lesions and diarrhoea were prevented.