840 



Spirillosis of Fowls. 



J'ig. 151. Spirochaete anserina. 

 blood. (After Cantaeuzene.) 



Goose 



Etiology. The causative agent of the disease (Spirochaete 

 gallinariim, Sp. anserum) is a blood parasite, probably belong- 

 ing to flagellated protozoa, which closely resembles the cause of 



recurrent fever of man 

 (Spirochaete Obermeieri) 

 which has been known for 

 several decades. It occurs 

 in fine threads, 10-20 i^ 

 long, formed similarly to 

 the spiral thread of a 

 screw, supplied with one 

 or more cilia (Borrel) 

 w-hich move actively be- 

 tween the blood corpuscles 

 in the blood of living ani- 

 mals affected with the dis- 

 ease (Fig. 151). They dis- 

 appear from the blood shortly after death and in drawn blood 

 they remain alive at best only for 2 to 3 days. 



Dschunkowsky & Luhs are reported to have succeeded in cultivating the spiro- 

 chaete of geese in blood plasma of geese by means of reed sacks in the body 

 of a rabbit up to the third generation; later indications of degeneration became 

 apparent on the threads, but the fluid possessed a protective action against artificial 

 infections. 



The disease may be produced easily by subcutaneous in- 

 jection of blood containing spirillae from geese to geese, from 

 ducks to young chicks, but only with difficulty to grown chickens, 

 while the transmission from affected chickens to chicken species, 

 as well as to water fowl is readily accomplished (it was not 

 possible to infect monkeys with the spirilla of chickens). After 

 a subcutaneous infection in chickens a considerable number of 

 parasites appear on the second day independently of the quan- 

 tity of inoculated blood which continue to increase until the 

 fifth day, and in the meantime clump together, forming great 

 agglomeration masses. On the sixth day after the temperature 

 has fallen rapidly, they disappear from the blood, whereupon 

 death ensues or the animal gradually recovers. 



The artificial infection is also successful by placing infected 

 ticks upon the birds (see lower down), further by feeding blood 

 containing spirillae, as well as by cohabitation of affected with 

 healthy chickens. 



Brumpt described the Sp. Nicollei from Tunis, also the Sp. Neveuxi as varieties 

 of the chicken spirochaete, which are also transmitted to chickens by the Argas 

 persicus; between this and the chicken spirochaete only immunizing differences 

 exist. 



The natural infection is in chickens transmitted principally 

 by the Argas miniatus tick, more rarely by the Argas persicus 

 and reflexus, furthei* by the Ornithodorus moubata. These ticks 

 exist freely in the bushes at the borders of forests, etc., attach 



