Topic
Gapeworm
About: Gapeworm is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 40 publications have been published within this topic receiving 259 citations. The topic is also known as: Syngamus trachea & red worm.
Papers
TL;DR: The writer has conducted a series of experiments which throw some new light on the transmission of gapeworm to birds and the condition or state of development of the larvae in the earthworm.
Abstract: For some time past it has been known that earthworms have a definite role in the transmission of gapeworm ( Syngamus trachea ) to birds. As early as 1886 Walker established this fact and claimed to have discovered Syngamus larvae encysted in the gut of the earthworm. He says “. . . we generally find the embryos a short distance behind the gizzard, not often more than half-way to the tail.” He was of the opinion that the earthworm was a definite intermediate host of the gapeworm. Though he cites Lumbricus terrestris in his title, he is less explicit in his text and we are left to assume the species when he mentions “earthworms.” The fact of the transmission of gapeworm by earthworms seems to have been overlooked, except for a shot note by Seurat in 1916, until Waite confirmed it in a paper, which appeared in 1920, and established the fact that it is the earthworms which carry the disease over form year to year. Although, as result of these two excellent series of experiments, there remained no doubt that earthworms are an important factor in the transmission of gapes, yet three problems still remained to be solved. They are (1) the species of earthworm concerned in the passage of the gapeworm, (2) the position in the earthworm where the larvae may be found, and (3) the condition or state of development of the larvae in the earthworm. The writer has conducted a series of experiments which throw some new light on all these problems. The experiments and results are described below.
29 citations
TL;DR: Owing to the higher percentage of infection and its wider migrations, the starling is here considered as a more effective distributor of the disease than turkeys.
Abstract: (1) Of 482 starlings examined during the period November 1925 to February 1926, 169 were infested with the Gapeworm ( S. trachealis ): the percentage of infected birds being 35 per cent. This confirms the previous observations when the writer found 14 infected birds out of 38. (2) There is a suggestion of a gradual increase, towards March, in the percentage of starlings infected. (3) The average length of the gapeworm in starlings is much the same as the average length of the gapeworm of chickens. (4) Welsh names for gapes are given. (5) Gapes among chickens occurs in Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire from March to August; in young turkeys in May and June; and in adult turkeys and pheasants throughout the year. (6) Starlings, turkeys and pheasants act as a bridging, between November to March when few or no young chickens occur for the propagation and distribution of the gapeworm. (7) Cases are instanced of ( a ) a sudden outbreak of gapes among chickens kept in an area where no turkeys have been kept, ( b ) heavy losses among pheasants on an estate which starlings had previously frequented in very large flocks. (8) Owing to the higher percentage of infection and its wider migrations, the starling is here considered as a more effective distributor of the disease than turkeys. Other wild birds, such as pheasants, thrushes, rooks and jays, also play a part in spreading the gapeworm and the disease this worm causes.
23 citations
TL;DR: In a previous paper as mentioned in this paper, it was shown that the life-cycle of S. trachea proceeds best when an intermediate host is involved, such as Eisenia foetida, an annulate worm.
Abstract: In a previous paper (1934) it was shown that the life-cycle of S. trachea proceeds best when an intermediate host is involved. By means of Eisenia foetida, an annulate worm, it was possible to induce heavy and certain infestations of gapeworm in chickens with material obtained from the partridge, pheasant, rook and chicken. Other earthworms were shown to be possible intermediate hosts but this was found to be the best and most successful.
21 citations
TL;DR: Results showed that, although the worms occurring in the starling and chicken are morphologically identical, physiological strains evidently exist, and it is probable that wild birds do not play so important a role in spreading gapes as was at first expected.
Abstract: DURING 1934 an investigation was carried out, in co-operation with the Oxford University Bureau of Animal Population, into the occurrence of gapeworms (Syngamus) in wild birds. Gapeworms have been recorded from a number of wild birds, and Cram (1) gives a list of 28 species from which gapeworms identical in structure with Syngamus trachea (Montagu)-the gapeworm causing epidemics amongst poultry-have been obtained. In addition to those species included by Cram, gapeworms have also been reported from the sparrow, linnet, martin, kestrel and pigeon. A different species, Syngamus merulae Baylis, occurs in the blackbird (Turdus merula). The presence of gapeworms in wild birds is of practical importance, as Elton and Buckland (2) have pointed out in regard to the rook (Corvus frugilegus), on account of the possibility that birds may spread the parasite amongst poultry, and also for the part the parasite may play in checking the numbers of wild birds. But the part that wild birds play in spreading gapes amongst poultry and game is still undecided. A number of workers have shown that it is possible to infect chickens experimentally with gapeworms obtained from the rook, starling, pheasant, etc., and Clapham (3) has transferred Syngamus merulae from the blackbird to chickens. Taylor (4), however, working with Syngamus from starlings, obtained results which showed that, although the worms occurring in the starling and chicken are morphologically identical, physiological strains evidently exist, and that for this reason it is probable that wild birds do not play so important a role in spreading gapes as was at first expected. Taylor (5) discusses other factors which may tend to retard this spread of the parasite by wild birds. I have to thank the Oxford University Bureau of Animal Population for assistance during this inquiry. The systematic work has been carried out at the British Museum (Natural History) by Dr H. A. Baylis, to whom I am also indebted for much help and advice. I also wish to thank all those who have helped in various ways, and especially the Earl of Eldon; Mr A. D. Middleton; Mr E. L. Taylor, who kindly carried out feeding experiments; and Captain H. B. Moser of the Imperial Chemical Industries Game Research Estate at Knebworth.
16 citations
TL;DR: The present writer has restudied the development of Syngamus trachea with the view of determining the accuracy of statements made in Ortlepp (1923), which indicated that theDevelopment ofSyngamustrachea involved a radical departure from the normal development of most, if not all, stronglyloid nematodes.
Abstract: Ortlepp (1923) indicated that the development of Syngamus trachea involved a radical departure from the normal development of most, if not all, stronglyloid nematodes. These statements were: (1) That the embryo of Syngamus trachea hatches as a 2nd-stage larva and, as such, is in the infective stage; and (2) that the immature adult male and female copulate in the 4th-, or "final-stage," of their development. The present writer has restudied the development of Syngamus trachea with the view of determining the accuracy of these statements. The results of this study are presented in this paper.
15 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
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| 2021 | 2 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2005 | 1 |