Proventricular Glands Research Articles

Developmental Studies of the Gastric Junctions of the Post-hatching Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata)

The current study was carried out on 24 apparently healthy post-hatching Muscovy ducks of both sexes ranging from 1-60 days old. They were divided into 5 age groups to investigate the development of the junctions of the stomach; esophago-proventricular junction, proventriculo-gizzard junction (Isthmus gastris) and ventriculo-duodenal junction by using light and scanning electron microscopy. The longitudinal folds of the esophago-proventricular junction were separated by longitudinal grooves and they were crossed by thin transverse ridges; some of the longitudinal folds were branched toward the proventriculus at 60 days old. At one day old, the lymphoid infiltrations were observed in the lamina propria at the esophago-proventricular junction. With the advancement of the age, abundant diffused lymphoid infiltrations and esophageal tonsil were observed. In all age groups, the cuticle covering of the mucosa at proventriculus-gizzard junction increased in thickness toward the gizzard. Moreover, in one day old duckling, the proventricular glands were observed underneath the gizzard tubular glands, these glands were become well developed at 60 days old. The lamina propria of the gizzard-duodenal junction showed slight lymphatic infiltrations at one day old age. Lymphatic infiltrations and more lymphatic aggregations were abundant at 7-15 days. While between 30-60 days age, lymph nodules were distinct. Numerous endocrine cells were also observed in mucosa of the gizzard-duodenal junction.

Comparative anatomical studies on the glandular stomach of the rock pigeon (Columba livia targia) and the Egyptian laughing dove (Streptopelia senegalensis aegyptiaca).

The rock pigeon (RP) and the laughing dove (LD) are common and widely distributed species in African countries, including Egypt. The present work was carried out to characterize the comparative features of the glandular stomach (proventriculus) in these two birds, which share diets and habitats. In both species, the proventriculus is an elongated spindle obliquely situated in the cranial two-thirds of the body cavity. The length and weight of the proventriculus in the RP were about one and half times greater than that of the LD. Histologically, the proventricular wall generally consisted of the mucosa (thickest), submucosa, muscular and serosa layers. The proventricular glands occupied most of the wall of the proventriculus within the lamina propria of the mucosa. The glands are tubuloalveolar in type, consist of variable shaped lobules and are more condensed in LD than in RP. At the proventricular-gizzard junction (PGJ), the proventricular glands were observed external to the tubular glands of the gizzard in the RP, whereas in LD, these glands end abruptly and are separated from the tubular glands of the gizzard by a short distance. A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the proventricular lumen in RP revealed that the openings of the proventricular glands have an irregular outline surrounded by concentrically arranged mucosal folds that resemble a rosette shape. In the LD, these openings have a regular outline surrounded by thinner, widely spaced mucosal folds. To our knowledge, these results identified the structure of the proventriculus in RP and LD for the first time.

Characterizing the histopathology of natural co-infection with Marek’s disease virus and subgroup J avian leucosis virus in egg-laying hens

ABSTRACTMarek’s disease virus (MDV) and avian leucosis virus (ALV) are known to cause tumours in egg-laying hens. Here, we investigated the aetiology of tumours in a flock of egg-laying hens vaccinated against MDV. We carried out gross pathology and histopathological examinations of the diseased tissues, identified virus antigen and sequenced viral oncogenes to elucidate the cause of death in 21–22-week-old hens. At necropsy, diseased hens had distinctly swollen livers, spleens, and proventriculus, and white tumour nodules in the liver. The spleen and liver had been infiltrated by lymphoid tumour cells, while the proventriculus had been infiltrated by both lymphoid tumour cells and myeloblastic cells. Subtype J ALV (ALV-J) and MDV were widely distributed in the proventricular gland cells, and the lymphoid tumour cells in the liver and the spleen. In addition, positive ALV-J signals were also observed in parts of the reticular cells in the spleen. MDV and ALV-J antigens were observed in the same foci of the proventricular gland cells; however, the two antigens were not observed in the same foci from the spleen and liver. The amino acid sequence of the AN-1 (the representative liver tumour tissue that was positive for both ALV-J and MDV) Meq protein was highly similar to the very virulent MDV QD2014 from China. Compared to the ALV-J HPRS-103 reference strain, 10 amino acids (224-CTTEWNYYAY-233) were deleted from the gp85 protein of AN-1. We concluded that concurrent infection with MDV and ALV-J contributed to the tumorigenicity observed in the flock.

Molecular characterization of Newcastle disease virus (genotype VII) from broiler chickens in Egypt

Newcastle disease (ND) outbreaks have been occurred in the Egyptian poultry causing high mortalities with severe economic losses. Samples were collected from 3 to 4weeks-old broiler chickens suffering from high mortalities respiratory and/or nervous signs, located at Beni-Suef, Minia, Fayoum, Ismailia and Menofia governorates and Postmortem examination showed hemorrhages at both proventricular glands and cecal tonsils. The samples were subjected to virus isolation trials by inoculation of the processed samples in the allantoic sac of 9-day-old specific pathogen free eggs (SPF). Hemagglutinating activity was tested by hemagglutination test and the isolated viruses were molecularly characterized by RT-PCR targeting the partial F-gene of NDV. Partial F gene sequence analysis showed that the isolated NDV strains belong to genotype VII with the characteristic amino acid sequences of the F0 protein proteolytic cleavage site motifs (112RRQKRF117) for the velogenic NDV strains. No significant differences in both nucleotide and amino acid sequences were observed among different examined strains. The vNDV isolates in this study were identical to each other and they were similar to strains isolated from Egypt during 2012–2014 with minor genetic variation. This study indicated that though intensive ND vaccination programs using LaSota like strains, the vNDV strains of genotype VII are still circulating in the field causing significant economic losses. The genetic variation between the used vaccine strains and the circulating NDV viruses may explain the inability of the currently used vaccines to protect chicken against vNDV genotype VII. Further studies are needed to screen the protection of the currently used vaccines against recently isolated vNDV strains.

Comparative Study on Newcastle Disease and Infectious Bursal Disease in Chicken Submitted to Upazilla Veterinary Hospital, Bogra Sadar, Bangladesh

The study was conducted on 123 chickens submitted to Upazila Veterinary Hospital, Bogra Sadar for the detection of Newcastle disease (ND) and Infectious Bursal disease (IBD) during the period of 9th February to 8th April 2017. On the basis of history and postmortem examination findings, the prevalence of ND and IBD was 8.13% and 23.58%, respectively. The morbidity was 6.19% and 3.69% in ND and IBD, respectively. The mortality of ND and IBD was 4.00% and 2.009%, respectively. The main pathological lesions observed in this study were pinpointed hemorrhage in the proventricular gland, thickness of proventriculus wall, hemorrhage in the duodenum in case of ND and hemorrhages on thigh and breast muscles; inflamed, edematous, hyperemic and hemorrhagic bursa of Fabricious in IBD. The study also showed that the chickens of more than 30 days old and chickens within 15-30 days old were highly susceptible to ND (27%) and IBD (44%), respectively.

Occurrence of Newcastle disease in poultry population of Mizoram, India

A study was undertaken to survey the prevalence of viral diseases of poultry in Mizoram during March, 2013 to February, 2014. Out of 476 poultry carcasses examined, 208(43.69%) cases were diagnosed as viral diseases. Forty cases of Newcastle disease (8.40%) could be diagnosed based on the clinical history, signs, gross and histopathology, and confirmed by HA and HI tests with detection of the viral antigen. All age groups of birds were affected with morbidity and mortality rates of 35–50% and 25–35%, respectively and the highest incidence during the winter season followed by rainy and summer seasons. Most common signs were depression, emaciation, greenish or white diarrhea and edema of the head, face and wattles, while some birds developed respiratory signs like sneezing, gasping, nasal discharge and coughing. Post-mortem findings included pin-point haemorrhages at the tips of the proventriculus glands, hemorrhagic ulcers in intestinal wall and caecal tonsils, hemorrhagic tracheitis with congestion and catarrhal exudates. The spleen was enlarged, friable and appeared dark red or mottled, while the kidneys were enlarged, congested and swollen with urate deposition.Significant microscopic changes were haemorrhages and necrosis of the proventriculus mucosa with mononuclear cell infiltration. Caecal tonsil revealed haemorrhages, infiltration of heterophils in the lamina propria, lymphoid depletion and formation of germinal centres. There were sloughing of tracheal mucosa with loss of cilia and congestion, while brain sections revealed non-suppurative encephalitis, neuronal degeneration, gliosis and perivascular cuffing.

Distribution of α-transducin and α-gustducin immunoreactive cells in the chicken (Gallus domesticus) gastrointestinal tract

The expression and distribution patterns of the taste signaling molecules, α-gustducin (Gαgust) and α-transducin (Gαtran) G-protein subunits, were studied in the gastrointestinal tract of the chicken (Gallus domesticus) using the immunohistochemical method. Gαgust and Gαtran immunoreactive (-IR) cells were observed in the mucosal layer of all examined segments, except the esophagus, crop, and the saccus cranialis of the gizzard. The highest numbers of Gαgust and Gαtran-IR cells were found in the proventriculus glands and along the villi of the pyloric, duodenum, and rectal mucosa. Gαgust and Gαtran-IR cells located in the villi of the jejunum, ileum, and cloaca were much less numerous, while only a few Gαgust and Gαtran-IR cells were detected in the mucosa of the proventriculus and cecum. In the crypts, IR cells were observed in the small and large intestine as well as in the cloaca. Gαgust and Gαtran-IR cells displayed elongated (“bottle-” or “pear-like”) or rounded shape. The demonstration of Gαgust and Gαtran expression provides evidence for taste receptor mediated mucosal chemosensitivity in the chicken gastrointestinal tract.

Histogenesis of the stomach of the pre-hatching quail: a light microscopic study.

The current study conducted a careful description of the histological events during the embryonic development of quail stomach. Daily histological specimens from the quail stomach from day4 to day 17 post incubation were examined by light microscopy. The primitive gut tube of the embryonic quail appeared at day4 post incubation. The gut tube consisted of an endodermal epithelium of pseudostratified type, surrounded by splanchnic mesenchyme. The prospective glandular epithelium invaginated at day 5 in the proventriculus and gradually developed to prospective proventricular glands. The muscular coat became distinguished at day 7 and day 8 in the proventriculus and gizzard, respectively. Transformation into simple columnar epithelium occurred in both proventriculus and the gizzard at day 12. The gizzard epithelium gave rise to tubular invaginations also at day 12. Canalization of the gizzard tubular glands was recognized at day 14. By day 15, the proventricular surface epithelium invaginated in a concentric manner around a central cavity to form immature secretory units that contained inactive oxyntico-peptic cells. The mucosal folding in the gizzard appeared at day 15 to form plicae and sulci. The wall of the proventriculus and gizzard at day 17 acquired histological features of post-hatching birds.

Histochemical Structure of Stomach (Proventriculus and Gizzard) in Some Bird Species

Stomach samples (proventriculus and gizzard) of sparrow hawk (Accipiter nisus), crow (Corvus corone) and sparrow (Passer domesticus) were investigated in this study. In histochemical investigations, strong sulfated mucins were not determined in compound glands of proventriculus, but a little reaction to AB (pH 0.5) in compound glands was observed in proventriculus of sparrow hawk and crow. While weak AB (pH 1.0) (+) character was found in sparrow gizzard, it was found as dense in superficial glands of sparrow hawk. However, it was not observed in crow gizzard. While AF (+) character (sulfated mucins) was detected as dense in epithelium and as weak in glands of gizzard of sparrow hawk, this character was not observed in glands of gizzards of crow and sparrow. Any reactivity to Periodic Acid-Shiff (PAS) staining was not observed in both epithelium and glands of sparrow proventriculus

Runting Stunting Syndrome Associated with Transmissible Viral Proventriculitis in Broiler Chickens

This report describes an outbreak of transmissible viral proventriculitis (TVP) associated with runting stunting syndrome (RSS) in 25- and 28-day-old broiler chickens, in which chicken proventricular necrosis virus (CNPV) was detected. Clinical signs included poor uniformity, very small birds for their age, increased mortality, and culling of smaller birds. Almost all birds necropsied exhibited moderate to severely enlarged proventriculi with diffusely pale serosa and thickened walls. Microscopically the proventriculi had lesions of degeneration and necrosis of the epithelium of the proventricular glands, accompanied by lymphocytic inflammation and glandular hyperplasia, with occasional formation of lymphoid nodules within the glandular parenchyma. Immunohistochemistry staining for CPNV was positive. Positive staining was generally found in the cytoplasm of glandular epithelial cells in the form of finely granular brown pigment. CPNV RNA was detected in the proventriculi by reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR). Other findings included mild enteritis in a few birds and small bursa of Fabricius. Direct electron microscopy performed on the intestinal samples was negative for viral particles. RT-PCR analysis of bursae was positive for infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV). In conclusion, this report associates TVP with RSS by describing an outbreak in which TVP attributable to CPNV was the most commonly found lesionin chickens with a clinical history compatible with RSS. Therefore, TVP should be considered as a possible differential diagnosis in cases compatible with RSS.

Patho-epidemiological study on Genotype-XIII Newcastle disease virus infection in commercial vaccinated layer farms.

Aim:The present research work was carried out to study the patho-epidemiological aspects of Genotype-XIII Newcastle disease virus (NDV) infection in commercial layer in and around Anand, Gujarat. As the outbreaks have reported in vaccinated flocks, it was felt necessary to study the disease with respect to its changing pathogenicity and relevant aspects.Materials and Methods:The study comprised of patho-epidemiology of Newcastle disease (ND) by information collected from different layer farms suffering from the disease in relation to incidence pattern and mortality, duration of mortality, susceptible age, and loss due to production performance. Clinical signs were recorded based on observations. During post-mortem, gross lesions were also recorded. For histopathological examination visceral organs according to lesions were collected in 10% formalin and processed slide stained by hematoxylin and eosin for microscopic examination. Cultivation of virus was done in embryonated specific pathogen-free (SPF) eggs of 9-11 days and isolation of virus was done for haemagglutination (HA) and haemagglutination inhibition (HI) test and to identify pathotype of virus by intracerebral pathogenicity index (ICPI) test to determine the virulence of virus. The Genotype-XIII NDV was confirmed by F gene sequence and whole genome sequence.Results:During the study mortality due to ND was recorded in 13 layer flocks in spite of routine vaccination, which usually contain Genotype-II strain of virus. The mortality was observed as high as above 50% with an average of 21.21%. The susceptible age for disease was found to be 6-14 weeks. The duration of mortality observed was 23 days. The disease resulted in a significant reduction in body weight, feed intake and drop in egg production. Majority of the outbreaks appeared during extremely hot months of April to June. Greenish diarrhoea was frequently seen in birds that survived early in infection. Mortality continued for 2-3 weeks and reduced with appearance of torticollis. Gross lesions were characterized by multifocal to diffuse hemorrhages around proventricular glands, necrotic (diphtheritic) haemorrhagic ulcers throughout the intestine, disseminated multiple foci of necrosis and pin-point hemorrhages in the spleen parenchyma. The microscopic lesions include focal to diffuse hemorrhages, diffuse infiltration of mononuclear cells, necrosis, and degeneration in visceral organs. All the 13 farm samples (n=13) resulted in death of all the embryos following incubation up to 72 h post-inoculation. All the 13 allantois fluids from field samples along with F and R2B vaccine sample were found positive for HA activity, which was further confirmed by HI using known NDV serum. The values of ICPI were 2.0 which were indicative of velogenic nature of the field NDV strain.Conclusion:The study indicated that presently available live and attenuated vaccines which include Genotype-II NDV have failed in protecting the flocks against Genotype-XIII and resulted in outbreaks with mortality above 50%. ICPI score of 2.0 confirmed that the present outbreaks were due to Genotype-XIII NDV, which is velogenic in nature.

Streptopelia senegalensis and White-breasted Kingfisher, Halcyon smyrnensis

The aim of the current work was to study the histological structures of glandular stomach, the proventriculus andcompare it in two types of Iraqi wild birds according to differences in diets. The birds are, Laughing dove, Streptopelia senegalensis which comprised the grainivorous bird and white breasted Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis which comprised the carnivorous bird. The results exhibited that the wall of the stomach (proventriculus) of two birds consists of the four layers of typical tubular organ: tunica mucosa, submucosa, muscularis and serosa. The tunica mucosa of two birds consisted of three layers, epithelium, lamina properia and muscularis , the free surface of two birds is covered with circular plicae modified from of the mucosa, The surface lining cells of this folds in both of birds is simple columnar with clear cytoplasm. The lamina propria is constituted by connective tissue with blood vessels and lymphocitary infiltration. As well as simple tubular glands. Notice that these glands are lining by simple columnar in white breasted kingfisher while simple cuboidal to columnar in laughing dove. Muscularis mucosa was a smooth muscle fibers, appears scattered along the lamina propria in laughing dove surrounds the apical part of deep proventricular glands, and extend inside the proventricular folds and entirely around the deep proventricular glands in white breasted kingfisher.Submucosa layer occupy most of the real area of the proventriculus wall containing numerous deep proventricular glands that occupy great part of submucosa. This layer is thicker in kingfisher as compared with laughing dove.

Histomorphological Comparison of Proventriculus and Small Intestine of Heavy and Light Line Pre- and at Hatching

Gross, histomorphometric and histochemical comprasion of proventriculus and small intestinal segments were determined in heavy and light line at last day’s incubation. Five embryos from each line were used at 16 day, 19 day and 21 day incubation. The weight of the proventriculus, yolk sac and weight in addition to the length of each separated straightened intestinal segments were recorded. Histological samples were stained with Harris Hematoxylin and Eosin, Masson’s Trichrome stain for histological structures, combined Alcian blue-PAS and Aldehyde Fuschin-Alcian blue stain for mucin classification. The thickness of wall layers of these organs were determined, measurement of villus height, villus surface area and height of epithelial mucosa of each intestinal segments (duodenum, jejunum and ileum) were recorded. The relative weight of yolk sac, proventriculus, jejunum and ileum were significantly higher in heavy line. The relative length of intestine was not constant between breeds. However, the heavy line had longer jejunum and ileum at 16 day and 21 days incubation. Histologically, the well- developed proventricular glands and epithelial folds appeared since 16 day incubation in both breeds. The thicknesses of these glands was greater in heavy line. The duodenal of heavy line had dominantly longer villi with higher villus surface area, for jejunam was restricted at 21 days only. Similar pattern was found for epithelial height and number of goblet cells in intestinal mucosa. The histochemical observations showed presence of neutral and acidic mucin in intestinal epithelium with most mucous cells were had sulphated mucin. Intestinal development patterns were similar for both lines but growth was more rapid in heavyline than the light line.

Analysis of the expression of p53 during the morphogenesis of the gastroesophageal mucosa of Gallus gallus domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Ontogenesis comprises a series of events including cell proliferation and apoptosis and resulting in the normal development of the embryo. Protein p53 has been described as being involved in the development of several animal species. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression of protein p53 during the morphogenesis of the gastroesophageal mucosa of Gallus gallus domesticus and to correlate it with the histogenesis of structures present in this tissue. We used 24 embryos (at 12-20days of incubation) and the thymus of two chickens. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed with the ABC indirect method. The expression of p53 in the gastroesophageal mucosa increased during the formation of the organ, mainly at the stages during which tissue remodeling and cell differentiation began. In the esophagus at stages 42 and 45, we observed immunoreactive (IR) cells in the surface epithelium and in early esophageal glands. In the proventriculus at stages 39-45, IR cells were present in the epithelial mucosa and rarely in the proventricular glands. In the gizzard after stage 42, we found IR cells mainly in the medial and basal epithelial layers of the mucosa and especially within the intercellular spaces that appeared at this phase and formed the tubular gland ducts. Thus, protein p53 occurs at key stages of development: in the esophagus during the remodeling of esophageal glands, in the proventriculus during the differentiation of the epithelium of the mucosa and in the gizzard during the formation of tubular glands.

Enteric Infections by Trematodes and Nematodes in Olrog's Gull, Larus atlanticus

Trematodes and nematodes can be pathogenic helminths of birds. Every year during the breeding season, there is variable mortality among chicks from the largest Olrog's gull (Larus atlanticus) colony in Argentina. During two consecutive breeding seasons of Olrog's gull, we studied epidemiological and pathological aspects of infections by digeneans (Microphallidae) and nematodes (Acuariidae) in Olrog's gull chicks. Prevalence of nematode infection was 80.3% in 2005 and 89.2% in 2006, and mean intensity was 23.7 in 2005 and 50.8 in 2006. The risk for infection rose 34.3% and the intensity of infection 6.7% for every increase of 1 mm in head-beak length. The nematodes occupied the proventricular glands and caused disruption of their structure and mild inflammatory proventriculitis. Prevalence of digenean infection was 97.0% in 2005 and 97.3% in 2006. In 10-day-old live chicks, prevalence was 98.0% in 2006 and 95.3% in 2007. Infection was associated with severe catarrhal enteritis, lymphocyte/eosinophil-rich inflammatory responses, extensive fibroblast proliferation around the parasites, and disruption of the architecture of the adjacent crypts.

Gross and Microscopic Studies on the Stomach of Domestic Duck (Anas platyrhynchos) and Domestic Pigeon (Columba livia domestica)

Ten adult domestic Mallard ducks and ten adult domestic pigeons of both sexes were used for morphologic and histological study. The proventriculus was the last part of the foregut. It was cone-shaped in pigeon while it was tubular in duck and arose from the esophagus. The ventriculus was biconvex lens in shape. It joined the proventriculus by cardiac sphincter and joined the hind gut by the pyloric sphincter. The thick muscular wall consisted of the crassuscaudodorsalis, crassus- cranioventralis muscles, tenuiscra niodorsalis and caudoventralis. The inner aspect of the ventriculus in both species was lined by a hardened membrane, the cuticula gas- tric. For the histological study, samples from the proventriculus and of the ventriculus were stained routinely with H&E, periodic acid-Schiff(PAS) and Masson’s trichromestain. The mucosal surface of the proventriculus has proventricular papillae over its entire surface with variable density between the two species. The proventriculus and ventriculus in both duck and pigeon have folds of the tunica mucosa lined by columnar epithelium in duck while it is cuboidal in pigeon. Simple tubular glands occupied the lamina propria of both chambers. The ventricular glands were lined by simple cuboidal cells. The proventricular glands were situated between the inner and outer layers of the lamina muscularis mucosae. The tunica submucosa was very thin in the proventricular wall while in the ventriculus, it was not separated from the lamina propria due to the ab- sence of any lamina muscularis mucosae. The tunica muscularis of the proventriculus was formed by a thick inner layer of circular smooth muscle fibres and a thin outer layer of longitudinal fibres. In addition to these layers, oblique muscle fibres formed the most internal layer of the tunica muscularisin the ventriculus.

Laboratory Outbreak investigation of Sudden Death Syndrome in Broiler Chicken in Kathmandu Valley Nepal 2010

The incidence of death of broiler birds above 40 days suddenly increased in the month of July-October 2010 in Kathmandu valley. Birds that were presented for post-mortem examination at the Central Veterinary Laboratory Tripureswor Kathmandu were usually found dead on their backs with wings out-stretched. Gross abnormalities recorded on post mortem examinations were: muscle oedema, pulmonary, renal and liver congestion, dark black to pale yellow streaked liver bile filled gall bladder and congestive splenomegaly, blood clot in atrium haemorrhage in duodenal muscle , whitish yellow pasty fluid in proventriculus gland, greenish coloration marked intact feed particles in gizzard and excessive mucous filled swollen intestine. Incidence rate was recorded between 1.5 to 2.5% of the flock. The mean mortality rate due to sudden death syndrome was 1.3 9.6%.Penicillium spp., Aspergillus spp.,with CFU ranging from 56*104-62*105,to uncountable mold count , E.coli, Streptococcus spp. and Staphylococcus spp. were the usual organisms isolated from culture samples of liver, lung, spleen and proventriculus. The condition seems to be related to mycotoxicosis. Reduction of mortality was achieved by feed restriction, with 8-10% reduction in nutrient density. Supplementation of glucose containing electrolyte, liquid toxin binder, Immunomodulator, acidifier and antibiotic therapy. Key word: Sudden death syndrome, broiler birds, Kathmandu Valley, Penicillium, CFU, ranging from 56*10462*105/gm, uncountable mold count

Laboratory outbreak investigation of sudden death syndrome in broiler chicken in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

The incidence of death of broiler birds above 40 days suddenly increased in the month of July to October 2008-2009 in Kathmandu Valley. Birds that were presented for post-mortem examination at the Central Veterinary Laboratory Tripureswor Kathmandu were usually found dead on their backs with wings out-stretched. Gross lesions recorded on post mortem examinations were muscle oedema, pulmonary, renal and liver congestion, dark black to pale yellow streaked liver bile filled gall bladder and congestive splenomegaly, blood clot in atrium haemorrhage in duodenal muscle, whitish yellow pasty fluid in proventriculus gland, greenish coloration marked intact feed particles in gizzard and swollen intestine with excessive mucous filled. Incidence rate was recorded between 1.5 to 2.5% of the flock. The mean mortality rate due to sudden death syndrome was 1.3 to 9.6%. Penicillium spp., Aspergillus spp., with colony-forming unit (CFU) ranging from 56*104-‑62*105, to uncountable mold count, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus spp. and Staphylococcus spp. were the usual organisms isolated from culture samples of liver, lung, spleen and proventriculus. The condition seems to be related to mycotoxicosis. Reduction of mortality was achieved by feed restriction, with 8 to 10% reduction in nutrient density. Supplementation of glucose containing electrolyte, liquid toxin binder, immunomodulator, acidifier and antibiotic therapy. Key words: Sudden death syndrome, broilers, Kathmandu Valley, Penicillium, colony-forming unit, ranging from 56*104 to 62*105/g, uncountable mold count, Aspergillus, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus,Staphylococcus, liver, proventriculus.

Histomorphology of the Stomach, Proventriculus and Ventriculus of the Red Jungle Fowl

The cranial chamber (proventriculus) and caudal chamber (ventriculus) of the stomach of the Red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus spadiceus) were examined by means of light microscopy. Both chambers presented folds of the tunica mucosa lined by a simple prismatic epithelium that was positive for neutral mucin. Simple tubular glands occupied the lamina propria of both chambers; in the ventriculus of older birds, they showed a coiled base. These ventricular glands were lined by simple cuboidal cells represented by the chief cells and a few large basal cells. The luminal and tubular koilin rodlets and folds of the ventriculus were positive to periodic acid Schiff (PAS) stain. The proventricular glands were situated between the inner and outer layers of the lamina muscularis mucosae. Cells lining the tubulo-alveolar units of the proventricular glands showed a dentate appearance. Vacuoles were not observed, and the cells were negative for Alcian-PAS stain. The tunica submucosa was very thin in the proventricular wall. In the ventriculus, it was not separated from the lamina propria owing to the absence of any lamina muscularis mucosae. The tunica muscularis of the proventriculus was formed by a thick inner layer of circular smooth muscle fibres and a thin outer layer of longitudinal fibres. In addition to these layers, oblique muscle fibres formed the most internal layer of the tunica muscularis in the ventriculus.

Cryptosporidium Avian Genotype III as a Possible Causative Agent of Chronic Vomiting in Peach-Faced Lovebirds (Agapornis roseicollis)

In the present study, Cryptosporidium oocysts were found, by light microscopy, in 37 fecal samples of peach-faced lovebirds (Agapornis roseicollis). Cryptosporidium avian genotype III was isolated in 13 of the 37 infected birds by sequence analysis of the small subunit ribosomal RNA and the actin genes. All of the birds showed chronic vomiting and weight loss with enlargement of isthmi, narrowed proventricular lumens, and thickened proventricular walls radiographically. Cryptosporidium parasites were found only in the ductal epithelium of the proventricular glands in three of the tissue samples provided for necropsy. To date, there have been no reports concerning the pathogenicity, nor the location, of avian genotype III in avian hosts. Our report confirms, for the first time, the presence of avian genotype III in peach-faced lovebirds in Japan and also reveals the location in the avian host.