Parasitism of Toxocara canis larvae in chickens inoculated with the ascarid eggs.

The distribution of T. canis larvae and pathological changes of the liver caused by them were studied in chickens inoculated orally with 1,500 embryonated eggs during 1 and 50 days after inoculation. The number of larvae recovered varied from 40 to 192 in the liver, 8 to 166 in the muscles, 0 to 4 in the heart, 0 to 2 in the spleen, 0 to 1 in the brain, respectively. Small white foci were observed on the surface of the liver since 6 days after inoculation. Histopathological examination of the liver revealed infiltrations of leukocytes and acidophilic cells, thickening of blood vessel and bile duct wall, and granulomatous nodules. The pathological changes become more remarkable in the later stage of inoculation.