Prevalence and magnitude of helminth infections in organic laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) across Europe

Sundar Thapa; Lena Karina Hinrichsen; Christine Brenninkmeyer; Stefan Gunnarsson; Jasper L. T. Heerkens; Cynthia Verwer; Knut  Niebuhr; Alice Willett; Guido  Grilli; Stig Milan Thamsborg; Jan T. Sørensen; Helena Mejer

doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.10.009

Prevalence and magnitude of helminth infections in organic laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) across Europe

Sundar Thapa, Lena Karina Hinrichsen, Christine Brenninkmeyer, Stefan Gunnarsson, Jasper L. T. Heerkens, Cynthia Verwer, Knut Niebuhr, Alice Willett, Guido Grilli, Stig Milan Thamsborg, Jan T. Sørensen, Helena Mejer

42 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Helminths are associated with health- and welfare problems in organic laying hens. The present observational cross-sectional study therefore aimed to estimate the prevalence and worm burdens of intestinal helminths in organic flocks of laying hens in 8 European countries, and to identify management factors that might be associated with helminth infections, with emphasis on Ascaridia galli. Data on flock-level management factors (e.g. nutritional factors, litter quality, housing system, opening- and closing hours of popholes, pasture rotation and provision of occupational materials) were collected during a farm visit when the hens were on average 62 weeks old. Worm counts were performed for 892 hens from 55 flocks and the number of ascarid (presumably primarily A. galli) eggs per g faeces (EPG) for 881 hens from 54 flocks. The association between parasitological parameters (prevalence, worm burden and EPG) and the management factors were analysed by multivariate models. Results showed that A. galli was highly prevalent across Europe with an overall mean prevalence of 69.5% and mean worm burden of 10 worms per hen. The overall mean prevalence and worm burden for Heterakis spp. were 29.0% and 16 worms per hen, respectively, with a large variation between countries. On average, the hens excreted 576 ascarid EPG. The mean prevalence of Raillietina spp. was 13.6%. A positive correlation was found between mean A. galli worm burden and ascarid EPG. Of the analysed management factors, only pasture access time had a significant negative association with A. galli worm burden which was in contrast to the general belief that outdoor access may increase the risk of helminth infections in production animals. In conclusion, the complexity of on-farm transmission dynamics is thus a challenge when evaluating the relative importance of management factors in relation to helminth infections.

Original language	English
Journal	Veterinary Parasitology
Volume	214
Issue number	1-2
Pages (from-to)	118-124
Number of pages	7
ISSN	0304-4017
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.10.009
Publication status	Published - 30 Nov 2015

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Thapa, S., Hinrichsen, L. K., Brenninkmeyer, C., Gunnarsson, S., Heerkens, J. L. T., Verwer, C., Niebuhr, K., Willett, A., Grilli, G., Thamsborg, S. M., Sørensen, J. T., & Mejer, H. (2015). Prevalence and magnitude of helminth infections in organic laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) across Europe. Veterinary Parasitology, 214(1-2), 118-124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.10.009

Thapa, S, Hinrichsen, LK, Brenninkmeyer, C, Gunnarsson, S, Heerkens, JLT, Verwer, C, Niebuhr, K, Willett, A, Grilli, G, Thamsborg, SM, Sørensen, JT & Mejer, H 2015, 'Prevalence and magnitude of helminth infections in organic laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) across Europe', Veterinary Parasitology, vol. 214, no. 1-2, pp. 118-124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.10.009

@article{fe632a2675764687abd27c3e953cfd4a,

title = "Prevalence and magnitude of helminth infections in organic laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) across Europe",

abstract = "Helminths are associated with health- and welfare problems in organic laying hens. The present observational cross-sectional study therefore aimed to estimate the prevalence and worm burdens of intestinal helminths in organic flocks of laying hens in 8 European countries, and to identify management factors that might be associated with helminth infections, with emphasis on Ascaridia galli. Data on flock-level management factors (e.g. nutritional factors, litter quality, housing system, opening- and closing hours of popholes, pasture rotation and provision of occupational materials) were collected during a farm visit when the hens were on average 62 weeks old. Worm counts were performed for 892 hens from 55 flocks and the number of ascarid (presumably primarily A. galli) eggs per g faeces (EPG) for 881 hens from 54 flocks. The association between parasitological parameters (prevalence, worm burden and EPG) and the management factors were analysed by multivariate models. Results showed that A. galli was highly prevalent across Europe with an overall mean prevalence of 69.5% and mean worm burden of 10 worms per hen. The overall mean prevalence and worm burden for Heterakis spp. were 29.0% and 16 worms per hen, respectively, with a large variation between countries. On average, the hens excreted 576 ascarid EPG. The mean prevalence of Raillietina spp. was 13.6%. A positive correlation was found between mean A. galli worm burden and ascarid EPG. Of the analysed management factors, only pasture access time had a significant negative association with A. galli worm burden which was in contrast to the general belief that outdoor access may increase the risk of helminth infections in production animals. In conclusion, the complexity of on-farm transmission dynamics is thus a challenge when evaluating the relative importance of management factors in relation to helminth infections.",

author = "Sundar Thapa and Hinrichsen, {Lena Karina} and Christine Brenninkmeyer and Stefan Gunnarsson and Heerkens, {Jasper L. T.} and Cynthia Verwer and Knut Niebuhr and Alice Willett and Guido Grilli and Thamsborg, {Stig Milan} and S{\o}rensen, {Jan T.} and Helena Mejer",

year = "2015",

month = nov,

day = "30",

doi = "10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.10.009",

language = "English",

volume = "214",

pages = "118--124",

journal = "Veterinary Parasitology",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Prevalence and magnitude of helminth infections in organic laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) across Europe

AU - Thapa, Sundar

AU - Hinrichsen, Lena Karina

AU - Brenninkmeyer, Christine

AU - Gunnarsson, Stefan

AU - Heerkens, Jasper L. T.

AU - Verwer, Cynthia

AU - Niebuhr, Knut

AU - Willett, Alice

AU - Grilli, Guido

AU - Thamsborg, Stig Milan

AU - Sørensen, Jan T.

AU - Mejer, Helena

PY - 2015/11/30

Y1 - 2015/11/30

N2 - Helminths are associated with health- and welfare problems in organic laying hens. The present observational cross-sectional study therefore aimed to estimate the prevalence and worm burdens of intestinal helminths in organic flocks of laying hens in 8 European countries, and to identify management factors that might be associated with helminth infections, with emphasis on Ascaridia galli. Data on flock-level management factors (e.g. nutritional factors, litter quality, housing system, opening- and closing hours of popholes, pasture rotation and provision of occupational materials) were collected during a farm visit when the hens were on average 62 weeks old. Worm counts were performed for 892 hens from 55 flocks and the number of ascarid (presumably primarily A. galli) eggs per g faeces (EPG) for 881 hens from 54 flocks. The association between parasitological parameters (prevalence, worm burden and EPG) and the management factors were analysed by multivariate models. Results showed that A. galli was highly prevalent across Europe with an overall mean prevalence of 69.5% and mean worm burden of 10 worms per hen. The overall mean prevalence and worm burden for Heterakis spp. were 29.0% and 16 worms per hen, respectively, with a large variation between countries. On average, the hens excreted 576 ascarid EPG. The mean prevalence of Raillietina spp. was 13.6%. A positive correlation was found between mean A. galli worm burden and ascarid EPG. Of the analysed management factors, only pasture access time had a significant negative association with A. galli worm burden which was in contrast to the general belief that outdoor access may increase the risk of helminth infections in production animals. In conclusion, the complexity of on-farm transmission dynamics is thus a challenge when evaluating the relative importance of management factors in relation to helminth infections.

AB - Helminths are associated with health- and welfare problems in organic laying hens. The present observational cross-sectional study therefore aimed to estimate the prevalence and worm burdens of intestinal helminths in organic flocks of laying hens in 8 European countries, and to identify management factors that might be associated with helminth infections, with emphasis on Ascaridia galli. Data on flock-level management factors (e.g. nutritional factors, litter quality, housing system, opening- and closing hours of popholes, pasture rotation and provision of occupational materials) were collected during a farm visit when the hens were on average 62 weeks old. Worm counts were performed for 892 hens from 55 flocks and the number of ascarid (presumably primarily A. galli) eggs per g faeces (EPG) for 881 hens from 54 flocks. The association between parasitological parameters (prevalence, worm burden and EPG) and the management factors were analysed by multivariate models. Results showed that A. galli was highly prevalent across Europe with an overall mean prevalence of 69.5% and mean worm burden of 10 worms per hen. The overall mean prevalence and worm burden for Heterakis spp. were 29.0% and 16 worms per hen, respectively, with a large variation between countries. On average, the hens excreted 576 ascarid EPG. The mean prevalence of Raillietina spp. was 13.6%. A positive correlation was found between mean A. galli worm burden and ascarid EPG. Of the analysed management factors, only pasture access time had a significant negative association with A. galli worm burden which was in contrast to the general belief that outdoor access may increase the risk of helminth infections in production animals. In conclusion, the complexity of on-farm transmission dynamics is thus a challenge when evaluating the relative importance of management factors in relation to helminth infections.

U2 - 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.10.009

DO - 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.10.009

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26518645

SN - 0304-4017

VL - 214

SP - 118

EP - 124

JO - Veterinary Parasitology

JF - Veterinary Parasitology

IS - 1-2

ER -

Prevalence and magnitude of helminth infections in organic laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) across Europe

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