Pathology of Choanotenia infundibulum in the Intestine of Free Range Chickens from Hyderabad , Sindh , Pakistan

An attempt was made to investigate the pathological changes in the intestine of free range scavenging chickens infected with cestodes parasite Choanotenia infundibulum. For the purpose 100 birds (Gallus domesticus) were randomly purchased from different villages and local markets of district Hyderabad, Pakistan. Chicken were dissected and different parts of intestine were searched. Out of 100 birds 94 (89.5%) were found infested with Choanotenia infundibulum. For histopathological examination different parts of infected intestine were fixed in Bouin’s fixative for period of 24 hours. Paraffin embedded tissues were cut 5-6 micron thick and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). Histopathological findings revealed sever damage including distortion, fusion, inflammation and destruction of architecture of muscular layers, villi and glands. It was concluded that high level of parasitic infestation cause severe health problems in birds and this can lead significant losses of poultry production.


Introduction
The Poultry sector plays a vital role in national economy with an essential contributor of revenue by producing animal protein (meat and egg) to humans [1].Poultry is one of the most important segments to rear the domesticated species and playing enormous role as profitable animal production enterprises [2].Poultry is one the most organized group of the livestock which is producing an estimated to number about 14,000 million, consisting mainly of chickens, ducks and turkeys.Approximately 80% of the poultry population is kept as free range poultry [3].Chickens are generally raised in free range system, scavenging around the compound of house hold, feeding on locally available resources like earth worm, house hold refuse, insects residue from harvest, animal and human feaces etc [4].
Parasitic infestation causes severe health problems; slow growth, low egg production, low weight, anemia and mortality [5].High parasitism in chicken has been reported from various part of the world [6-8] and also from Pakistan [9-12].Keeping above in view the present study was designed to assess the parasitic infestation and their hazardous effects on poultry sector.Therefore this study provides guideline and awareness to improve better poultry management for minimizing the parasitic infections.

Collection of intestine samples
Present study was conducted with the approval of the Advanced Studies and Research Board (ASRB) under the guidelines at Department of Zoology, University of Sindh Jamshoro, Pakistan.For the purpose live birds (Gallus domesticus) were collected from different locations of district Hyderabad and brought to the Parasitology Laboratory.After that collected birds were dissected and different parts of intestinal tract were carefully removed.These recovered intestines were examined under disectory microscope for parasitic infestation.

Collection, Staining and Identification of Parasites
The assorted parts of intestinal tract were examined for parasitic infestation by applying the method of Dharejo [13].Various parasites were recovered from the different parts of infected intestine; jejunum, ileum and duodenum.It is important to relax and kill recovered parasites before fixation, which was done by putting them in saline water 15-30 minutes or by putting 70% alcohol drop by drop.There after killed parasites were potted in 70% alcohol and kept into small glass jars for further process of staining and identification.Preserved parasites were cautiously pressed between two glass slides and these slides were tie with thread by applying spongy pressure.The tied slides were kept in 70% alcohol for 48 hours.The pressed parasites were passed through graded alcohol series and stained with Borax carmine.Moreover parasites were washed in 70% alcohol and entirely dehydrated with 90% and absolute alcohol.The clove oil was used on the stained slides then cleared in xylol.The specimen permanently mounted in Canada balsam by putting them a glass cover slip.Histopathogical observations of the infected sections of intestine revealed severe tissue damage.Obviously, severity of lesions that aggravate by the parasite in the host tissue mainly depends on the parasite morphology, particularly its composition and size of the attachment organ.In the present findings histology of intestine of control chicken showing complete architecture of villi, muscular layer, crypt glands and lamina propria (Fig. 2).Histopathological observations associated with Choanotenia infundibulum showed alteration, fusion, swelling and damaged muscular layers, villi and glands (Fig. 3 and 4).The deterioration of the glands was commonly observed.These findings are agreed with Butt et al., In present experimental study defused crypt glands associated with unidentifiable structure of crypt cells were observed (Fig. 5).Their lumen were demonstrated completely congested (Fig. 6).The helminthes adversely affects all layers of the intestine in kite (Milvus Migrus migrus) [27].During Histopathological assessments inflammation in cells along with necrosis of the lamina propria was observed at the base of crypts (Fig. 7).These findings were in accordance with the results described by Muti-ur-

Conclusion
This work strongly suggests that free range poultry is susceptible to high risk of parasitic infection and have high economic impact in the poultry production.Therefore, further investigations are needed to elucidate the economic and hygiene impact of parasitic infection on poultry reared in free range backyard system.

Rehman [ 28 ]
in the intestine of eagle infected with Medioorhychus fatimae reported necrosis, inflammation and hyperplasia of glands.As a result of shrinkage muscular layer has been tear up showing fibers.Similar observations were made by other workers Laxma Reddy and Benarjee [26] who reported degeneration and hyperplasia of intestinal villi, necrosis and vacuolation of muscular mucosa.Sanil et al., [29] reported hyperplasia of intestinal villi, laminia propria, degeneration and necrosis of muscular layer.

Fig. 2 .
Fig.2.Showing over all non-infected intestine including muscular layer crypt glands and villi X 200