Received July 11, 2009; Revised September 06, 2009; Accepted September 15, 2009.
Abstract
Cochlosoma sp. infection was identified in a single case among 60 stunted diarrheic native turkey poults, Meleagris galopavo. A large number of the flagellated parasites was found free or within the intervillous spaces of the jejunum, ileum and cecum. Moderate enteritis was associated with the parasites. In TEM studies of the parasagittal sections of the parasite, a prominent ventral sucker like disc and flagella emerging from an opening on the ventrodorsal surface of the pyriform uninuclear parasite were found. The morphological characteristics of this protozoan match with those described for Cochlosoma anatis. The parasite could be considered as an intestinal pathogenic protozoan causing stunting and diarrhea in turkeys in Iran.
Bermudez AJ,In Safe YM,Fadly AM,Glisson JR. Diseases of Poultry. 12th ed. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing Co; 2008. pp. 1091-1095.
2.
Cooper GL,Shivaprasad HL,Bickford AA,Nordhausen R,Munn RJ,Jeffrey JS. Enteritis in turkeys associated with an unusual flagellated protozoan (Cochlosoma anatis). Avian Dis 1995;39:183–190.
3.
Bolinger TK,Barker IK. Runting of ducklings associated with Cochlosoma anatis infection. Avian Dis 1996;40:181–185.
4.
Fillippich LJ,O'Donoghue PJ. Cochlosoma infections in finches. Aus Vet J 1997;75:561–563.
5.
Pecka Z. Domestic geese (Anser anser L.) as a new host of Cochlosoma anatis, Kotlán, 1924. Folia Parasitol 1991;38:91–92.
6.
Lindsay DS,Larsen CT,Zajac AM,Pierson FW. Experimental Cochlosoma anatis infections in poultry. Vet Parasitol 1999;81:21–27.
7.
McElroy SM,Szalanski AL,McKay T,Bermudez AJ,Owens CB,Steelman CD. Molecular assay for the detection of Cochlosoma anatis in house flies and turkey specimens by polymerase chain reaction. Vet Parasitol 2005;127:165–168.
,1
