The survey of tapeworm infection in the intestinal tract of Gallus domesticus

Thirty-five samples of live chicken bought from Paco Public Market during the months of April and May, were examined for the presence of tapeworms. All 35 (100 %) chickens were positive for tapeworm infection while 24 (68.6%) were infected with roundworm. The total number of 901 tapeworms (x=26 per chicken) in both small and large intestine was based on the number of hairlike structures with distinct characteristics such as scolex and or/a strobila and/or a chain of proglottids examined through the microscope. This number may not necessarily suggest an individual tapeworm but a mix of scolices and/or proglottids. Nodules were observed on all of the small intestine. The morphology of the tapeworm seem to point to a cyclophyllidian type of worm, and the roundworms exhibits similarities with ascarid worms. The high worm burden noted in the present study demonstrates the susceptibility of chicken to both types of parasite infections