Common Helminths of Poultry

Parasite

Host

Intermediate Host or Life Cycle

Organ Tropism

Pathogenicity

Nematodes

Amidostomum anseris

Duck, goose, pigeon

Direct

Gizzard

Severe

Ascaridia dissimilis

Turkey

Direct

Small intestine

Moderate

Ascaridia galli

Chicken, turkey, duck, quail

Direct

Small intestine

Moderate

Capillaria annulata (also known as Eucoleus annulatus)

Chicken, turkey, ducks, game birds

Earthworms

Esophagus, crop

Moderate to severe

Capillaria caudinflata (also known as Aonchotheca caudinflata)

Chicken, turkey, duck, game birds, pigeon

Earthworms

Small intestine

Moderate to severe

Capillaria contorta (also known as Eucoleus contortus)

Chicken, turkey, duck, game birds

None or earthworms

Mouth, esophagus, crop

Severe

Capillaria obsignata (also known as Baruscapillaria obsignata)

Chicken, turkey, goose, pigeon, game birds, swan

Direct

Small intestine, ceca

Severe

Cheilospirura hamulosa

Chicken, turkey, game birds

Grasshoppers, beetles

Gizzard

Moderate

Cyathostoma bronchialis

Turkey, duck

Direct or earthworms

Trachea

Severe

Cyrnea colini

Turkey, game birds

Cockroaches

Proventriculus

Mild

Dispharynx nasuta

Chicken, turkey, game birds, pigeon

Sow bugs

Proventriculus

Moderate to severe

Gongylonema ingluvicola

Chicken, game birds

Beetles, cockroaches

Crop, esophagus, proventriculus

Mild

Heterakis gallinarum

Chicken, turkey, duck, game birds

Direct

Ceca

Mild, but transmits agent of histomoniasis

Heterakis isolonche

Quail, duck, pheasant

Direct

Ceca

Severe

Ornithostrongylus quadriradiatus

Pigeon, dove

Direct

Small intestine

Severe

Oxyspirura mansoni

Chicken, turkey, guinea fowl, quail

Cockroaches

Eye

Moderate

Strongyloides avium

Chicken, turkey, quail, goose

Direct

Ceca

Moderate

Subulura brumpti

Chicken, turkey, duck, game birds

Earwigs, grasshoppers, beetles, cockroaches

Ceca

Mild

Syngamus trachea

Chicken, turkey, pheasant, quail

None or earthworms

Trachea

Severe

Tetrameres americana

Chicken, turkey, duck, game birds, pigeon

Grasshoppers, cockroaches

Proventriculus

Moderate to severe

Trichostrongylus tenuis

Chicken, turkey, duck, game birds, pigeon

Direct

Ceca

Severe

Cestodes

Choanotaenia infundibulum

Chicken

Houseflies

Upper intestine

Moderate

Davainea proglottina

Chicken

Slugs, snails

Duodenum

Severe

Metroliasthes lucida

Turkey

Grasshoppers

Intestine

Unknown

Raillietina cesticillus

Chicken

Beetles

Duodenum, jejunum

Mild

Raillietina echinobothrida

Chicken

Ants

Lower intestine

Severe, nodules

Raillietina tetragona

Chicken

Ants

Lower intestine

Severe