Chicken cecum hepatitis, also known as blackhead disease, is caused by trichomonas of the moratidae family, a protozoa disease of chickens and turkeys, the first feature of which is inflammation and enlargement of the cecal and enlarged liver, and the appearance of round, green or yellow-white necrotic ulcer lesions of different sizes. Cecum hepatitis is more rational for young chicks and has a high death rate. Adult pheasants are also infected, but are generally insidious and mild.
First, the route of infection:
The first route of infection of the disease is the digestive tract. Sick chickens may excrete feces that may contain large amounts of spiny nematode eggs, which often contain larvae that arrange trichomoniasis, and when these excrement contaminates feed, drinking water, chicken coops and sports grounds, they will become infected after being ingested by healthy chickens. In addition, insects such as earthworms, flies, and crickets can also mechanically carry insects. The onset of this disease is not obvious in seasons, but there are more attacks in the warm and humid seasons of spring and summer.
Poor health conditions, excessive congestion of chickens, unclean chicken coops and sports fields, poor ventilation in the house, lack of light, and poor feed quality are the primary factors inducing the disease.
2. Clinical symptoms
The incubation period of the disease is 15-21 days, the sick chickens show energy wilting, appetite loss, loose and lightless hair, sagging wings, body curled up, drowsiness, diarrhea, sick chickens excrete sulfur-colored feces, sometimes stool is pale green. In severe cases, there is blood in the stool. Most of the sick chickens have purple-blue or black head skin, so it is called "blackhead disease", if not treated in time, 1-2 weeks can die.