Histomonas meleagridis: Effect on plasma enzymes in chickens and turkeys

Blood chemistry for the diagnosis of hepatobiliary disease in birds. A review

“…Significant elevations of plasma ASAT activities have been reported in chickens with inherited muscular dystrophy (13). In turkeys with liver cell damage due to histomoniasis elevated plasma ASAT activities have been demonstrated (2,3,16,25). Elevated plasma ASAT activities have been reported in geese (7) after experimental poisoning with the hepatotoxic agents such as CCI, and phosporus, as described above.…”

“…McDougald and Hansen (25), studying the same disease in chickens and turkeys, found no significant changes in plasma ALAT activity attributable to liver damage, even when other enzymes were greatly elevated.…”

“…Although soft tissue damage can lead to elevation of plasma LD concentrations, in the psittacine species examined by Galvin, elevated LD concentrations reportedly almost always indicated liver disease. Elevated LD concentrations associated with liver damage have been reported in turkeys after experimental infections with Histomonas meleagridis (3,25). Campbell (8) reported elevated serum LD concentrations in 33 per cent of pigeons, 92 per cent of cockatiels and 100 per cent of red-tailed hawks and great horned owls, after experimental poisoning with the hepatoxic agent aflatoxin B,.…”

Fatty liver syndrome in captive bustards: Clinical, pathological and epidemiological findings

“…Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were increased, consistent with fatty liver and other liver diseases (Murphy, 1992;Bogin et ah, 1984). Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were lower than in normal birds, but have been regarded as being of controversial diagnostic value in some species (Lumeij & Westerhof, 1987) and may not be raised in turkeys with liver damage (McDougald & Hansen, 1970). LDH has been reported as being increased in fatty liver disease (Murphy, 1992;Bogin et al, 1984), although it is not specific for liver disease and has been suggested to be a rather poor indicator of liver damage on other avian species (Lumeij, 1993).…”

Circulating growth hormone and prolactin concentrations in turkeys and chickens infected withhistomonas meleagridis

“…The serious effects of infection with Histomonas, leading to retardation of growth in the chicken and to progressive weight loss and death in the turkey Lund and Chute, 1972;Wilkins and Lee, 1976), are well known and are caused in part by damage to the wall of the alimentary canal, which interferes with digestion and absorption and permits loss of serum from the caeca. The histomonads invade the caecal mucosa on the third day after infection, in the case of pathogenic strains, and metabolic effects can then be detected in serum components (Beg and Clarkson, 1970;McDougald and Hansen, 1970 (Wilkins and Lee, 1976). Therefore, as birds subjected to Histomonas infection may be severely stressed and suffer physiological starvation and growth retardation Lund and Chute, 1972;Wilkins and Lee, 1976), the concentration of immunoreactive growth hormone (GH) and prolactin in the peripheral circulation of Histomonas-infected chickens and turkeys was determined in the present study, in view of the fact that these physiological conditions may alter GH and prolactin secretion in birds (Harvey et al, , 1979aScanes et al, 1977;Chadwick, 1978;.…”