ABSTRACT

In this study, an investigation was made as to whether natural infestation by Dermanyssus gallinae can cause any change in some hematological parameters and body weights of cocks. In addition, taking the parameters under investigation as a base, the effect of treatment with a carbamate propoxur and a synthetic pyrethroid fenvalerate on infected cocks was studied for 30 days. For this purpose, blood samples were taken from a total of 12 cocks of which 6 were infected and 6, healthy (controls) at the beginning of the treatment and then on the 15th and 30th days of the study. When compared to controls at the beginning of the treatment, there was a significant decrease in the erythrocytes counts, hemoglobin level and hematocrit values, but a significant increase in the thrombocyte counts of the infected cocks. Furthermore, it was determined that the heterophil counts were higher and the lymphocyte counts were lower in the infected animals. Related to these findings, the heterophil/lymphocyte ratio also showed an increase in the infected cocks. On the 15th and/or 30th days of the experiment it was found that the treatment had resulted in the parameters in question becoming improved in the infected cocks and that they were close to those of the controls. On the other hand, although the body weights of the infected animals were lower than that of the healthy ones at the beginning of the treatment, there were not any significant differences in the body weights between the both groups on the 30th day of the study, These results suggest that Dermanyssus gallinae infection mainly affected the hematological parameters and body weights which are the physiological indices of health in cocks, and the treatments that used in this study had a positive effect in restoration of the altered parameters.

Keywords: Dermanyssus gallinae, hematological parameters, body weight, cocks