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Blackhead Disease / Histomoniasis
The black head disease or Histomoniasis or Histomonose is a parasitosis in turkeys and chicken-like birds.
The Histomoniasis is caused by unicellular intestinal parasites, the so-called Histomonaden.
Poultry in the range is not uncommonly infected by ingested earthworms in the black-head disease. Furthermore, the animals infect each other, and the infection pathways are often even unclear.
Especially in turkeys, the Histomoniasis leads to a severe disease, with the appendix and liver of the host severely damaged.
Morbidity and mortality in infected birds is extremely high.
The symptoms of Histomoniasis are rather non-specific. Infected animals show a aphatisches behaviour, closed eyes, a stilted gait as well as breathing difficulties. In turkeys, the appearance of sulphur-yellow feces is most noticeable as a result of liver damage.
In chickens, it usually only comes to a slimy diarrhea. Liver lesions do not occur.
However, the Histomoniasis cannot be diagnosed until after death. In turkeys, the Histomoniasis causes visible, necrotic lesions in the liver. In addition, the appendix of infected birds causes severe, ulzerativen inflammation, which is accompanied by a thickening of the intestinal mucosa.
Young animals usually die a few days after the onset of the disease. In older animals a chronic course is often observed.
The disease has the name from a claret to black discoloration of the scalp, which does not always occur.
Since the appearance of black Combs is not a primary distinguishing feature of the Histomoniasis, the term Schwarzkopf disease is sometimes also considered a misnomer.
Due to legal bans on the approval of medicines against Histomoniasis in the EU, there has been a treatment emergency.
Phytophamarkas that have an impact on the black head disease are urgently sought.
(Source: Wikipedia - Schwarzkopf disease)