Baruscapillaria obsignata: a serious cause of enteropathy and high mortality in turkeys (meleagris gallopavo)

Abstract

Background: Capillariasis, an important parasitic disease of birds is caused at least by seven different genera of trichurid nematodes with clinical outcome ranging from mild enteritis to high mortality. Objective: This study was aimed to investigate the causative agent involved in high mortality associated with severe enteric illness among turkey flocks in an organized commercial poultry farm at Bareilly, India. Materials and Methods: Turkey carcasses (n = 119) and fecal samples from the affected deep litter pen constituted as the study materials. The disease was investigated by systematic necropsy, direct microscopy and histopathology. Representative samples were screened for other enteric pathogens. Results: Microscopic examination of mucosal scraping revealed capillarid worms and their eggs in all the samples. The morphological features of adult worms were typically consistent to Baruscapillaria obsignata. Histopathology exhibited thickened muscular and mucosal layers, mononuclear and heterophilic infiltration in the lamina propria, blunting and clubbing of villi, epithelial denudation and sections of capillarid worms. Administration of levamisole at 80 ppm in drinking water reduced the mortality, clinical illness and worm load after three days of therapy. Conclusions: The capillarid worms in different avian hosts can cause different clinical manifestations and outcomes. From India, this is the first report describing intestinal pathology caused by B. obsignata in turkeys. We conclude that the B. obsignata infection is capable of causing life threatening enteropathy in turkeys and, hence, routine screening, scheduled deworming and good litter management are crucial to control the infection and its associated loss.