Dr. Murai Éva - Gubányi András szerk.: Parasitologia Hungarica 27. (Budapest, 1994)

Reciprocal infection of quails and hens with the nematodes Ascaridia galli (Schrank, 1788) and Heterakis gallinae (Gmelin, 1790): single and mixed infections S. O. MOVSESSIAN and L. V PKHRIKIAN Institute of Zoology, Armenian Academy of Sciences, 375044 Yerevan, Paruyra Sevaka 7, Republic of Armenia Cross-infection of domestic and wild birds with different parasite species have been known for a long time (Gvozdev et al. 1964, Kasimov 1965). Artamonova (1969) established, that antagonistic relations existed between ascarids and capillarids while synergistic relations between ascarids and coccidia. Lesinsh et al. (1978) concluded that relations between separate helminth species in a mixed infection may be both antagonistic and synergistic. Positive correlations were reported for chickens infection, but the data of Khaziev (1978) were contradictory. The theory of synergism of two or more parasite species in the host was also mentioned by Kennedy (1978). However, there are no studies of single or mixed infections with the nematodes Ascaridia galli and Heterakis gallinae in quails and chickens. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 100 Japenese quails (age: 1.5-2 months) and 41 chickens (age: 2-3 months) were used for the experiments. The birds were divided into three groups. Birds of the first group were infected with eggs of A. galli (from chickens to quails, from quails to chickens). This group comprised 35 quails (30 infected, 5 control) and 16 chickens (14 infected, 2 control). Birds of the second group were infected with eggs of H. gallinae. This group was composed of 35 quails (30 infected, 5 control) and 12 chickens (10 infected, 2 control). Birds of the third group were infected with eggs of both A galli and H. gallinae (mixed infection). Thirty quails and 13 chickens were used in this group. Twenty-four of the quails were infected, 6 specimens served as control, while 10 of the chickens were infected and 3 served as control. To obtain eggs of A. galli and II. gallinae 500 female helminths were dissected. Each quail was dosed with 100 ascarid or heterakid eggs in single infection. Chickens were dosed with 150 eggs. In mixed infections all the birds received 50 eggs of each helminth species. Helminth eggs were cultured according to the method of Tverdokhlebov (1966). Culture time was 25-30 days for both species. Faecal samples of the birds were collected from the 15th day after infection. The method of Fulleborn was used in this case. Control birds were killed at 30 days, experimentally infected birds at 60 days after infection. Birds were examined for the presence of helminths by Skrjabin's method. RESULTS Reciprocal infection of quails' and hens' with the nematode A galli showed that the excretion of ascarid eggs from experimental quails takes place on postinfection day 30-33. After infection with H. gallinae eggs excretion of heterakids from quails began on day 25. In a mixed infection, the eggs excretion of ascarid eggs started on the 32nd-35th day and excretion of heterakid eggs on day 23-26. Two out of 30 quails infected with ascaridia died on the second day after infection. Ascarid