L38 



POULTRY DISEASES 





thrombi. Fig 57 illustrates this condition. It may he seen 

 that the blood vessels are quite distended by the blood fibrin. 



SPIROCHETOSIS 



This is a blood disease (septicemia) due to a spiral-like 

 microscopic organism that is supposed to be carried irom Inrd 



to bird by means of the chicken 

 tick; illustrated in Fig. 34. 

 Fig. 58 shows a drawing of the 

 germ. It is the Spirocheta 

 gallinarum ; the slide from 

 which this drawing was made 

 was kindly sent to the author 

 by Dr. Balfour of Khartoum, 

 Sudan, Africa. It may affect 

 the chicken, goose, lark and 

 other birds. 



This disease was first recog- 

 nized in Brazil; it is found in 

 Africa and Europe. A disease 

 occurs in the southern part of 

 the United States, whero the chicken tick is abundant, that 

 presents symptoms similar to those of spirochetosis; so far 

 as the author knows, no definite work has been done to deter- 

 mine the true cause of it. 





^^^^e^ 



Fig. 58. Spirocheta Gallinarum. 



This drawing, made from a blood 

 smear, shows red blood cells (oval), 

 thrombocytes and leukocytes (round) 

 and spirochetes (corkscrew-like). 



Fig. 59. Acute Spirochetosis (after Balfour). 



! 



Spirochetosis is most common among chickens, l)ut also 

 infects geese, ducks, pigeons and sparrows. 



Symptoms. — Dullness, loss of appetite and rapid emaciation 



