Studies on the effect of concurrent infections of Ascaridia dissimilis and Eimeria meleagrimitis in turkeys.

The effects of concurrent infections of Ascaridia dissimilis and Eimeria meleagrimitis in turkeys were studied in two separate trials. In the first trial, newly larvated ova were used to inoculate poults 7 or 3 days before, on the same day as, or 3 days after the poults received E. meleagrimitis. Poults receiving the A. dissimilis 3 days before, on the same day as, or 3 days after receiving E. meleagrimitis had significantly lower total oocyst production than the E. meleagrimitis-positive control. In the second trial, larvated ova that were approximately 100 days old were used in the same regimen. In this trial, poults that were inoculated with A. dissimilis 3 days before or 3 days after receiving the E. meleagrimitis produced significantly fewer oocysts than poults inoculated simultaneously with both parasites. Poults inoculated with A. dissimilis 3 days before receiving E. meleagrimitis also had significantly fewer third-stage nematodes than the A. dissimilis-positive controls. There were no significant differences in weight gain between treatments in either trial.