Experimental infection of chickens with Ancylostoma caninum: migration and distribution of larvae in tissues

Two hundred one-day-old male white leghorn chickens (Gallus domesticus) divided into 4 groups were inoculated with a single dose of 500, 1000, 2000 or 4000 filariform larvae of Ancylostoma caninum. Larval recoveries were made from different tissues at intervals from 4 hours to 72 hours after infection. Larval migration in the heart took place within 4 hours in all the groups except group A with 500 larvae and in thoracic muscle at 8 hours. Larvae also migrated into liver, lungs and neck muscle within 12 hours and into leg muscle at 18 hours. No larvae were recovered from the muscles after 72 hours of infection. Larvae did not migrate into kidney, spleen and central nervous system throughout the experimental period.