Histomonas meleagridis in turkeys: dissemination kinetics in host tissues after cloacal infection

UMR 958 Protozoaires Entericoles des Volailles, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Ecole Nationale Veterinaire de Lyon, Marcy L'Etoile, France. k.huber@vet-lyon.fr

Histomonas meleagridis is a flagellated protozoa causing histomoniasis, a disease of gallinaceous fowl. This disease is characterized by necrotic typhlitis, hepatitis, and high mortality, especially in turkeys. In an attempt to detect the progression of H. meleagridis in the turkey, birds were infected via the cloaca. Between d 0 and 19, a group of 4 turkeys was killed and autopsied every 3 d. Cecal and hepatic lesion scores were used to measure severity of infection. For each turkey, 15 tissue samples were taken. Another group of 3 infected turkeys were placed separately, and samples of cecal and intestinal stool were collected every 3 d. Samples were analyzed by PCR. For samples of cecal droppings, cecum, cecal content, rectum, proventriculus, and bursa of Fabricius, the number of birds detected as positive by PCR followed the evolution of the lesion scores. Within the liver, the parasite DNA was detected only in some severe lesions. The parasite DNA was also detected in duodenum, jejuno-ileum, spleen, heart, lungs, and brain samples. The parasite DNA was not detected in the blood, kidneys, pancreas, or muscle of the thigh. Results of the PCR were in agreement with the evolution of the clinical signs and of the cecal and liver lesions.