author(s)
TA Vijayalingam, NV Rajesh and A Latchumikanthan

abstract
A community flock of 21 numbers of Guinea fowl managed under backyard system of rearing along with 8 turkeys and 43 desi chickens was reported to have acute mortality during the month of December 2019, rainy season in Tamil Nadu. Among the total strength of 21 birds, almost 15 numbers of guinea fowls in the age group of 5 months were succumbed to death within a week. The condition was said to be slowly contracted to other intact turkeys and the country chickens too. It was reported that all the ailing birds showed inanition, reduction in weight, inability to bear weight on legs, reduction in bodily condition, sternal recumbency and diarrhoea. Post mortem examination revealed debilitated carcasses with blanched skin and thin and pale muscles. The intestinal lumen contained scanty, partially digested content mixed with viscid mucous material. The intestinal mucosa was congested and found to be thick. The caeca was filled with yellowish brown, semi solid content mixed with numerous tiny, hairy nematodes. The microscopic examination of the sediment of the caecal content revealed numerous barrel shaped eggs morphologically indistinguishable from the ova of Heterakis gallinarum. The microscopic examination of the worms confirmed as Heterakis gallinarum. The remaining birds in the flock were treated with Fentas Plus^® (Fenbendazole 1.5% and Praziquantel 0.5%) suspension in drinking water at the rate of 1ml/ 3kg body weight, single dose and advised supplementation of multivitamin and minerals 3 days after the deworming. The farmer was also advised to separate turkey from desi birds and rear them as an individual unit. The birds recovered completely after deworming.