Prevalence of Ascaridia galli in white leghorn layers and Fayoumi-Rhode Island red crossbred flock at government poultry farm Dina, Punjab, Pakistan.

Poultry farming not only provides high nutritious food but also creates employment opportunity for rural masses. Documented evidences elaborates that helminth parasitism is most deciduous problem of chickens especially in developing world. Ascaridia (A.) galli, a nematode of small intestine, has been considered as the most common and important parasite of chicken. The present study was carried out to investigate prevalence and severity of A. galli in White Leghorn layers (housing type: battery cage and deep litter, 50 each) and Fayoumi-Rhode Island Red crossbred (male and female: 50 each) flock rearing at Government Poultry Farm, Dina, Punjab, Pakistan. Two hundred faecal samples were examined by using standard parasitological and McMaster egg counting technique. The overall prevalence was 24.5% at farm, 13% in White leghorn layer (battery cage=2%, deep litter=24%) and 36% in Fayoumi-Rhode Island Red (male=34%, female=38%). It was also observed that White leghorn layer rearing in deep litter had more severe infection (EPG=1920) of A. galli compare with battery cages birds (EPG=500). Parasite prevalence was significantly related with sex (P<0.05) in Fayoumi-Rhode Island Red and male birds had less number of average parasites (0.34±0.47) as compared to females (0.38±0.490). Additionally, female birds were under serious threat of infection (EPG=2270) compared with its counterpart (EPG=1250). Given the high infection rates, particular attention should be paid to management and provision of feed supplement to White leghorn layer housing in deep litter and female bird of Fayoumi-Rhode Island Red crossbred.

Prevalence of Ascaridia galli in white leghorn layers and Fayoumi-Rhode Island red crossbred flock at government poultry farm Dina, Punjab, Pakistan

Poultry farming not only provides high nutritious food but also creates employment opportunity for rural masses. Documented evidences elaborates that helminth parasitism is most deciduous problem of chickens especially in developing world. Ascaridia (A.) galli, a nematode of small intestine, has been considered as the most common and important parasite of chicken. The present study was carried out to investigate prevalence and severity of A. galli in White Leghorn layers (housing type: battery cage and deep litter, 50 each) and Fayoumi-Rhode Island Red crossbred (male and female: 50 each) flock rearing at Government Poultry Farm, Dina, Punjab, Pakistan. Two hundred faecal samples were examined by using standard parasitological and McMaster egg counting technique. The overall prevalence was 24.5% at farm, 13% in White leghorn layer (battery cage=2%, deep litter=24%) and 36% in Fayoumi-Rhode Island Red (male=34%, female=38%). It was also observed that White leghorn layer rearing in deep litter had more severe infection (EPG=1920) of A. galli compare with battery cages birds (EPG=500). Parasite prevalence was significantly related with sex (P<0.05) in Fayoumi-Rhode Island Red and male birds had less number of average parasites (0.34±0.47) as compared to females (0.38±0.490). Additionally, female birds were under serious threat of infection (EPG=2270) compared with its counterpart (EPG=1250). Given the high infection rates, particular attention should be paid to management and provision of feed supplement to White leghorn layer housing in deep litter and female bird of Fayoumi-Rhode Island Red crossbred.

Neonatal Intracranial Ischemia and Hemorrhage : Role of Cranial Sonography and CT Scanning

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of cranial sonography and computed tomography in the diagnosis of neonatal intracranial hemorrhage and hypoxic-ischemic injury in an Indian set-up. METHODS: The study included 100 neonates who underwent cranial sonography and computed tomography (CT) in the first month of life for suspected intracranial ischemia and hemorrhage. Two observers rated the images for possible intracranial lesions and a kappa statistic for interobserver agreement was calculated. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the kappa values of CT and ultrasonography (USG) for the diagnosis of germinal matrix hemorrhage/intraventricular hemorrhage (GMH/IVH) and periventricular leucomalacia (PVL) and both showed good interobserver agreement. USG, however detected more cases of GMH/IVH (24 cases) and PVL (19) cases than CT (22 cases and 16 cases of IVH and PVL, respectively). CT had significantly better interobserver agreement for the diagnosis of hypoxic ischemic injury (HII) in term infants and also detected more cases (33) as compared to USG (18). CT also detected 6 cases of extraaxial hemorrhages as compared to 1 detected by USG. CONCLUSION: USG is better modality for imaging preterm neonates with suspected IVH or PVL. However, USG is unreliable in the imaging of term newborns with suspected HII where CT or magnetic resonance image scan is a better modality.