Resistance potential of certain breeds of domestic fowl exposed to Raillietina tetragona infections. X. Influence of sex hormones on R. tetragona infection.

Abstract

An experimental study has been carried out on the effect of testosterone propionate and stilboestrol dipropionate on R. tetragona infections in young male and female chickens. The study involved 800 cysticercoids and 80 birds belonging to four strains, White Leghorn, White Rock, Desi and Hybrid between White Leghorn and Desi. The data obtained suggested that exogenous testosterone has not significantly affected the susceptibility-resistance relationships of birds to this tapeworm infection. Stilboestrol, on the other hand, appeared to have exerted an inhibitory influence on the growth and development of the worms, as evidenced by the lengthening of the prepatent period of worms in White Leghorn and reduction in weight of worms recovered from experimentals of all breeds except the Hybrids. There was significant interbreed difference as regards prepatent period, average segment production, development and weight of worms in the case of stilboestrol-treated birds. Except for the prepatent period of worms, such interbreed differences were not pronounced in the testosterone-treated birds.