Cochlosoma anatis is a flagellated protozoan parasite implicated in enteric disease (cochlosomiasis) of turkeys in commercial production. Research evaluating the effects of cochlosomiasis on turkey poults, where the disease is typically at its most severe, is lacking. Commonly observed cochlosomiasis symptoms include depressed weight gain, flock non-uniformity, lethargy, watery diarrhea, and co-infections. No commercially approved treatments or vaccines are available to combat cochlosomiasis. This study hypothesized that oral inoculation of C. anatis into turkey poults would lead to cochlosomiasis. Physiological and morphological analyses included blood chemistry, nutrient digestibility, and gut permeability. Disease effects were evaluated at 28 days of age in off-sex male turkey poults following inoculation with C. anatis at 14 days of age. Infection resulted in weight gain deficiencies; however, flock uniformity was not affected, contrary to field observations, which are likely related to the timing of infection relative to the bird’s age. Feed consumption was lower, and the feed conversion ratio was increased in infected cages. Amino acid digestibility was lower in infected birds, providing a potential partial explanation for the poor weight gain associated with cochlosomiasis. Blood chemistry analyses revealed metabolic alkalosis partially compensated for by respiratory carbon dioxide retention. Intestinal permeability was not significantly different between the groups. Overall, the disease effects observed in this study aligned mainly with traditional observations of cochlosomiasis. Flock non-uniformity may be the result of a complex of multiple issues that require exploration. The disease characterization presented here offers potential explanations, highlighting areas that suggest further research focus.
Lowery et al. (Sun,) studied this question.