CHARACTERISTICS OF CHICKEN CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS EPIZOOTOLOGY IN THE UKRAINE
Objectives. To examine broiler and meat-and-egg breed chickens for cryptosporidia occurrence in several poultry- farms of the Ukraine. To calculate extensiveness of infestation. Materials and methods. The study was conducted at the premises of Odessa Experimental Station of the National Scientific Center “Institute of Experimental and Clinical Veterinary Medicine” (NSC “IECVM”). Cryptosporidia screening covered 50 cage-kept broilers of 27 days old delivered from OJSC AGRODIBROVKA in Kiev Oblast; and 70 meat-and-egg breed chickens (Adler Silver breed) of 21 days old at NIVA ALLC in Odessa Oblast; and 65 floor-kept meat-and-egg chicken (Adler Silver breed) of 30 days old at FE BILYACHAT in Odessa Oblast. Standard screening practices were used. Fecal samples were taken individually from cloaca and direct smears prepared following standard procedure. Seven chickens were dissected to confirm diagnosis: 3 broilers from OJSC AGRODIBROVKA, and 2 chickens from NIVA ALLC and FE BILYACHAT each. Dried smears were stabilized and stained using Ziehl- Neelsen method and studied under 4x10 immersion microscope. Findings of the study. All three examined poultry farms in Odessa and Kiev Oblasts of the Ukraine were found infested with cryptosporidiosis. The diagnosis was confirmed in laboratory and postmortem dissection. Cryptosporidium oocysts found in the fecal smears were seen as rounded red-stained formations of 5.7 x 4.6.m in average size. Based on the registered oocyst size it was concluded that the parasite was C. baileyi. Oocysts were found in 4 samples of intestine lavage and smears from small, large bowels and cloaca of the 7 dissected chickens. Extensiveness of chicken infestation with cryptosporidia varied from 18% to 31.4%. Maximum extensiveness was found among floor-kept meat-and-egg Adler Silver breed chicken of 21 days old from NIVA ALLC in Odessa Oblast; the least extensiveness of manifestation was among cage-kept broiler chicken of 27 days old from OOO AGRODIBROVKA in Kiev Oblast. Conclusions. Cryptosporidiosis was found among both cage and floor kept broiler and meat-and-egg breed chicken from certain poultry farms in Odessa and Kiev Oblasts of the Ukraine. Extensiveness of infestation was 18.0% among broilers and 27.6% to 31.4% among meat-and-egg chicken. Diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis was confirmed by chicken postmortem examination, microscopic examination of Ziehl-Neelsen stained smears, and discovery of C. baileyi cryptosporidia in the gastrointestinal tract.