Date of Award:

5-1952

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Wildland Resources

Department name when degree awarded

Zoology

Committee Chair(s)

D. M. Hammond

Committee

D. M. Hammond

Committee

M. L. Miner

Abstract

Turkey raising has become big business. During the period 1942 to 1946, the average annual return in Utah amounted to about nine and one-half million dollars (4). This amount would have been increased considerably if the death loss among poults had been lower. As an example, using the percentage of mortality given by Miner (9, p. 5), it is estimated that the death-loss of turkeys in 1944 resulted in a loss of gross income by the farmers of Utah of more than four million dollars provided that the price the farmer received had remained the same.

Among the prevalent causes of this enormous loss are those caused by the protozoa. One of the most common, yet least understood, of the protozoa infecting turkeys is Pentatrichomonas gallinarum (Martin and Robertson). It is found in many turkeys with no apparent harm to the host, while in others it has been reported to cause an "acute type of infection, characterized by diarrhea" (15, p. 1021). The lack of consistency in producing apparent effects in turkeys has caused some investigators to believe that the protozoan may not be pathogenic.

Morgan and Hawkins (11, p. 94) summed up the problem by stating:

"Hadley and Amison (1911) and Jowett (1911) held that infectious enterohepatitis was caused by trichomonads, but this work was discredited for a number of years by the work of Tyzzer (1919, etc.). Recently this theory has been revived, although not conclusively demonstrated, by Allen (1936, 1940). She considers there are two types of the disease, one produced by Histomonas meleagridis and a second produced by Pentatrichomonas gallinarum."

As yet, little, if any information is known concerning the incidence and effects of Pentatrichomonas gallinarum (Martin and Robertson) in Utah flocks or its relationship to Histomonas meleagridis in causing infectious enterohepatitis.

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