Potential of Young and Mature Guinea Fowl in Contaminating Soil with Histomonas-Bearing Heterakid Eggs

Abstract

SUMMARY Six-week-old and mature guinea fowl were tested for their ability to withstand histomoniasis, and their potential for voiding Histomonas-carrying eggs of Heterakis gallinarum, thus becoming a source of infection for other galliform birds. Guinea fowl of both ages were as susceptible to infection with Histomonas meleagridis transmitted by eggs of Heterakis gallinarum as were either chickens or turkeys, though the infections were limited to the ceca. There were no deaths and almost no morbidity among the guinea fowl. Young guinea fowl produced almost twice as many mature female heterakids as did adult guinea fowl, but slightly fewer such worms than the young chickens produced. The respective numbers of heterakid eggs that embryonated for young guinea fowl, mature guinea fowl, and chickens were in the ratio of 3:2:3. However, the eggs from worms recovered from the chickens transmitted Histomonas to susceptible poults so frequently that the young chickens would have contaminated soil 1?/ times as heavily as would the guinea fowl of either age. Young turkeys were ineffectual in producing Heterakis eggs capable of transmitting Histomonas.