Hauck R, Lüschow D, Hafez H M
Institute of Poultry Diseases, Free University Berlin, Königsweg 63, 14163, Berlin, Germany.
Avian Dis. 2006 Mar;50(1):35-8. doi: 10.1637/7421-081505R.1.
Histomonas meleagridis infection of turkeys is usually accompanied by a severe disease with unspecific clinical symptoms but with distinct pathological lesions in the ceca and liver. In the literature some macro- and microscopic evidence of the spread of histomonads to the other organs has been provided. The aim of the present investigations was to use real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to demonstrate the dissemination of H. meleagridis DNA to different organs after natural and experimental infection of meat turkeys. Samples from several organs were collected from a meat-turkey flock, which proved to be naturally infected with histomoniasis, and examined for histomonad DNA by real-time PCR. Histomonad DNA was detected in all investigated ceca, livers, spleens, kidneys, and pooled brain swabs. Additionally it was found in 75% of investigated samples from bursae of Fabricius, in 50% of investigated duodenums, and in 40% of investigated jejunum samples. After experimental intracloacal infection of 3-wk-old turkey poults with 147,500 histomonads, similar samples were collected from all turkeys that died. After a 3-wk observation period the surviving birds, as well as the noninfected control group, were euthanatized and samples were taken. During the entire experimental period, 10 birds out the 20 infected birds died. Histomonad DNA was detected in all investigated ceca, livers, lungs, and hearts (100%) and almost all kidneys (90%) and bursae of Fabricius (80%). On the other hand, only 30% of examined spleens and 10% of brain samples revealed positive results. Surviving infected birds were euthanatized and necropsied; histomonad DNA was found in one out of 10 livers but not in any ceca. Also, histomonad DNA could not be detected in examined cecal and lung samples from the noninfected control group.
火鸡的火鸡组织滴虫感染通常伴随着一种严重疾病，具有非特异性临床症状，但盲肠和肝脏会出现明显的病理病变。文献中已提供了一些关于组织滴虫扩散至其他器官的大体和微观证据。本研究的目的是使用实时聚合酶链反应（PCR）来证明在肉用火鸡自然感染和实验感染后，火鸡组织滴虫DNA在不同器官中的传播情况。从一个被证明自然感染组织滴虫病的肉用火鸡群中采集了多个器官的样本，并通过实时PCR检测组织滴虫DNA。在所有被调查的盲肠、肝脏、脾脏、肾脏以及合并的脑拭子中均检测到了组织滴虫DNA。此外，在75%的被调查法氏囊中、50%的被调查十二指肠以及40%的被调查空肠样本中也发现了组织滴虫DNA。在对3周龄火鸡雏进行147,500个组织滴虫的实验性泄殖腔感染后，从所有死亡的火鸡中采集了类似样本。经过3周的观察期后，对存活的鸟类以及未感染的对照组进行安乐死并采集样本。在整个实验期间，20只感染鸟类中有10只死亡。在所有被调查的盲肠、肝脏、肺和心脏（100%）以及几乎所有肾脏（90%）和法氏囊（80%）中均检测到了组织滴虫DNA。另一方面，只有30%的被检查脾脏和10%的脑样本显示阳性结果。对存活的感染鸟类进行安乐死并进行尸检；在10个肝脏中有1个发现了组织滴虫DNA，但在任何盲肠中均未发现。此外，在未感染对照组的被检查盲肠和肺样本中未检测到组织滴虫DNA。
