High mortality of domestic turkeys associated with Ascaridia dissimilis

Third- and fourth-stage Ascaridia dissimilis larvae were isolated from commercial white turkey intestinal scrapings from two farms that were experiencing high mortality. Lesions consisted of a necrotic-like enteritis that was most severe in the jejunum. Subsequent bacteriological isolation yielded heavy growth of Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens. The rate of mortality declined rapidly when the turkeys were administered 18 ppm fenbendazole for 7 days.