Evaluating 4-nitrophenylarsonic acid efficacy in preventing Histomonas meleagridis invasions in turkeys.

摘要

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of 4-nitrophenylarsonic acid (Histostat50; Alpharma Trade Inc., USA) and metronidazole (Avimetronid; Polfa Grodzisk) in preventing turkey histomoniasis. Ten turkeys with histomoniasis and 10 healthy 10-week old turkeys were divided into 3 groups (I, II and III). Turkeys from group I served as the control group. The turkeys from groups II and III were administered Avimetronid at a dose of 2.5 g/kg and Histostat50 at a dose of 0.37 g/kg in their feed for 5 weeks, respectively. Clinical observations, anatomopathological examination, parasitological examination of cloacal swabs and haematological (red blood cells, white blood cells, leukogram) and biochemical examinations (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase) of the blood were carried out before the experiment and in the 5th week of its duration. The results indicated that 4-nitrophenylarsonic acid was highly effective in preventing histomoniasis and that metronidazole also had therapeutic properties. Although no side effects were noted in the turkeys receiving the examined 4-nitrophenylarsonic acid, it nevertheless seemed that there was a danger of accumulation of arsenic compounds in turkeys..