Pathogenicity of Tetratrichomonas gallinarum]

Eight axenic strains of Tetratrichomonas gallinarum were isolated from the caeca or cloacae of ducks and geese. Different growth curves were determined for each of the strains and the generation times were calculated, ranging from 2 h 36 min to 4 h 44 min. The axenic cultures of seven T. gallinarium strains were subjected to the Honigberg test on inbred mice. The average volumes of the six-day-old subcutaneous abscesses ranged from 129.98 to 185.63 mm3. Selected strains of trichomonads were used for experimental infection of ducks and geese. Neither the macroscopis examination nor the microscopic analysis did find any greater pathological changes in the mucosa of the caecum of the birds, though the Trichomonas organisms were observed in large quantities among the villi in the crypts. It is believed on the basis of the results that the species T. gallinarium carries no primary pathogenicity to the specific hosts.