An outbreak of chicken histomoniasis in the absence of normal vectors

Acute and massive death was noted in 10-week-old chickens, broiler breeder, housed in the floor pens. The number of dead chickens exceeded 20 birds each day. Grossly, fibrinous peritonitis with adhesion of mesenteries and intestinal organs was noted. The ceca were enlarged, expanded, and thickened with congestion. Cecal lumen was distended with a caseous core composed of serous, fibrinopurulent, and hemorrhagic exudates with desquamated masses of epithelial cells. The liver had multifocal white irregular necrotic foci surrounded by a raised ring. Light and electron microscope revealed Histomonas meleagridis in the liver with its characteristic structures and not in the intestinal mucoca and submucosa. In this case, the examination of parasite, larvae and egg was conducted more carefully; however, we could not find eggs or worms of Heterakis gallinarum in the dead or live chickens and earthworms in the soils of floor pens. Therefore, we concluded that an outbreak of blackhead disease probably occurred by direct transmission of histomonads from chickens to chickens in this case.