The Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Helminths in Domestically Farmed Chicken in Van, Turkey

Abstract

The present study was conducted with the aim to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth in domestically farmed chicken in İpekyolu, Tuşba and Edremit districts in Van Province in Turkey. Feces of 185 chicken were examined and 78 chicken (42.16%) yielded positive results for single species, 26 (14.05%) were positive for two species, and 6 chicken (3.25%) were positive for three species. Six helminth eggs, four nematodes and two cestodes, were detected in infected chicken feces. Those infected with single species were studied based on helminth and infection types and the rates of infection was determined as: Capillaria spp. 23 (12.50%), Heterakis gallinarum 19 (10.32%), Ascaridia spp. 18 (9.78%), Raillietina spp. 8 (4.35%), Davania proglottina 6 (3.26%), Trichostrongylus tenuis 4 (2.17%). The infection determined in feces caused by two species were Capillaria spp. + Heterakis gallinarum 10 (5.43%), Capillaria spp. + Ascaridia spp. 8 (4.35%), Heterakis gallinarum + Ascaridia spp. 7 (3.78%), Raillietina spp. + Davania proglottina 1 (0.54%) and infection determined in feces caused by three species were determined as Capillaria spp. + Heterakis gallinarum + Davania proglottina 4 (2.17%) and Capillaria spp. + Heterakis gallinarum + Trichostrongylus tenuis 2 (1.09%). The findings of the present study indicated that helminth infections were significantly prevalent in domestic chicken in Van Province in Turkey.