38 GUAM AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION, 



INTERNAL PARASITES OF POULTRY. 



Poultry in general, but more especially young chicks, are found to 

 be badly infested with internal parasites on this island. Among the 

 parasites found are several species of tapeworm, the common round- 

 worm, the ceca worm, small round worms which inhabit the pro- 

 ventriculus, and at least one kind of eye worm. 



TAPEWORMS, COMMON ROUNDWORMS, AND CECA WORMS. 



In considering the life history of tapeworms, some investigators 

 have believed the earthworm to be the intermediate host, while other 

 investigators have held the common house fly responsible for acting 

 as the carrier of the cystic stage of at least certain species of the 

 tapeworm. The experience here during the past dry season would 

 lead us not to regard the earthworm as an intermediate host, because 

 the chicks infested were confined in a small yard which was very dry 

 and dusty. Flies and other insects were present in abundance. Lice 

 and mites infested the house for a short time and might be considered 

 a possible factor in the life history of certain of these parasites. 



The following symptoms are observed in chicks between the ages 

 of 2 and 6 months w^hich were seriously infested with tapeworms and 

 roundworms: The appetite becomes impaired and the body emaci- 

 ated; the chick presents a generally unthrifty appearance, with the 

 wings drooping and the feathers ruffled ; and, in the last stages, the 

 bird is found resting on its sternum, its head drawn back or tucked 

 under the wing, with its general attitude dull, sleepy, and listless 

 (PI. VII, fig. 3). Diarrhea is often present, and the feces are often 

 frothy and yellowish in color. A microscopic examination of the 

 feces shows the presence of many eggs of the roundworm and very 

 often segments of the tapeworm. 



Post-mortem examinations show the roundworms, when occurring 

 in large numbers, throughout the intestinal tract. The tapeworms 

 are most often found in the small intestines, where they are often 

 present in such large numbers as to completely occlude the lumen of 

 the intestines. Ceca worms, although apparently of little harm, are 

 found in at least 80 per cent of the dead birds. The intestines are 

 found to be pale and shrunken in places and to show congested areas 

 in others. In parts inhabited by the parasites, the mucous membrane 

 shows a catarrhal condition. Fowls infested with the nodular tape- 

 worm show, on the serous surface of the intestine, nodular elevations 

 varying in size from a pinhead to a garden pea. These nodules, 

 w^hich contain a firm, yellow substance, are also noticeable when the 

 mucous surface is viewed, and this surface may also show a pitted 

 condition. Most chicks infested with roundworms were also found 

 to be more or less infested with tapeworms, and vice versa. 



