CHAPTER XIII 
SPIROCHETOSIS AND RARE INFECTIOUS DISEASES 
SPIROCHETOSIS 
Synonyms. Fowl fever, spirillosis of fowls, spirillose des poules, 
Hiihnerspirillose. 
Characterization. Spirochetosis is an acute, highly fatal, fe- 
brile, septicemic disease of birds caused by spirochetes and trans- 
mitted by fowl ticks. 
Geographical distribution. The disease has been reported in 
North and South Africa, India, Australia, Russia, Hungary, Rou- 
mania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, South America and the West Indies. 
The existence of the disease in the United States within the area 
of distribution of the fowl tick (See Fig. 53, p. 221) has been 
suspected by various writers, but so far as known its presence has not 
been definitely proven. Symptoms ascribed to excessive tick infesta- 
tion, such as paralysis, drooping of wings, ruffled feathers, loss of ap- 
petite and even death have suggested the idea that spirochetosis may 
be present. 
Etiology. Spirocheta (Treponema) gallinarum (8. march- 
ouxt) causes the disease in fowls, while Spirocheta anserina has 
been identified as the cause of a similar infection in geese. Some 
consider S. anserina as identical with 8. gallinarum. 
The general shape of a fully developed spirochete is that of a nar- 
row sinuous thread, in some cases reaching nearly 20 microns in 
length. The cells possess active motility. Spirochetes are generally 
regarded as protozoan organisms, although the belief that they are 
bacteria has many adherents. The organisms may be stained in 
blood films by fixing with osmic acid vapor, after which the films are 
hardened in absolute alcohol and stained with Giemsa or one of the 
modifications of that stain. Carbol fuchsin may be employed as a 
stain. 
Noguchi has cultivated 8. gallinarum in a special medium de- 
vised to provide suitable conditions. An infected bird is placed 
under ether anesthesia and blood is drawn aseptically from the heart. 
To prevent coagulation the blood is mixed with an equal amount of 
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