Histopathological changes in the proventriculus of fowl given experimental monospecific infection with Acuaria...

The pathological changes in the proventriculi of fowls given monospecific experimental infection with Acuaria spiralis were characterized in the initial stages by an acute inflammation due to the migration of 3rd and 4th stage larvae. There was a severe non-keratinizing squamous cell metaplasia of the lining epithelium with pronounced granulocytic infiltration at 4-8 days post-infection. Multiple lymphoid nodules were evident in the lamina propria from 12 days post-infection. As the disease progressed there was extensive fibroplasia in the organ. By 50-100 days post-infection pedunculated fibro-adenamatoid growths developed in the mucosa obliterating the entire lumen of the organ. A mortality rate of 29.16% of chicks (maximum on the 3rd week post-infection) was observed.