Matloa Tlalemasego, Erasmus Rulien, Ledwaba Maphuti Betty, Malatji Dikeledi Petunia
Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, College of Agriculture and Environmental Science, University of South Africa, Florida, South Africa.
Animal Production, Agricultural Research Council, Irene, South Africa.
Trop Anim Health Prod. 2025 Jan 20;57(2):28. doi: 10.1007/s11250-024-04250-1.
Smallholder farmers in most of the rural areas in African countries rear non-descript village chickens for petty cash, food provision and for performing rituals. Village chicken production systems are regarded as low input- low output because the chickens receive minimum care and produce average to less eggs and meat. The chickens receive minimal biosecurity and are often left to scavenge for feed and thus exposes them to potential vector parasites that can transmit parasites such as haemoparasites. Haemosporidian parasites (Haemosporidia, Apicomplexa) are blood parasites infecting avian species, especially chickens. They are transmitted by blood sucking vectors such as biting midges, mosquitoes, black flies and louse flies. Infections are mild to severe causing reproduction, production and health losses such as decreased fertility, reduced body weight and egg production, anaemia and inflammation of vital organs such as the liver and spleen. Haemoparasites infections in chickens can be lowered through controlling vector parasites and the use of antimalarial drugs on exotic chicken breeds. The aim of this review is to characterize the avian haemosporidian parasites affecting non-descript village chickens in Africa, describing their morphology, life cycle, pathogenicity, control and prevention measures.
非洲国家大多数农村地区的小农户饲养普通的乡村鸡，用于赚取小额现金、提供食物和举行仪式。乡村鸡生产系统被视为低投入-低产出，因为这些鸡得到的照料极少，产蛋量和产肉量一般或较低。这些鸡的生物安全措施极少，常常任其自行觅食，因此使它们容易感染可能传播血寄生虫等寄生虫的潜在病媒寄生虫。血孢子虫寄生虫（血孢子虫属，顶复门）是感染禽类尤其是鸡的血液寄生虫。它们通过吸血病媒传播，如蠓、蚊子、黑蝇和虱蝇。感染程度从轻度到重度不等，会导致繁殖、生产和健康方面的损失，如生育力下降、体重减轻、产蛋量减少、贫血以及肝脏和脾脏等重要器官发炎。通过控制病媒寄生虫以及对外来鸡品种使用抗疟药物，可以降低鸡的血寄生虫感染。本综述的目的是描述影响非洲普通乡村鸡的禽类血孢子虫寄生虫，阐述它们的形态、生命周期、致病性、控制和预防措施。
