Observations on the Taiwanese strain of Leucocytozoon caulleryi (Haemosporina) in chickens

Abstract

The Taiwanese strain of Leucocytozoon caulleryi was isolated from an infected chicken in Taipei, Taiwan, and established in chickens and biting midges Culicoides arakawae from Japan. Sporogony of the strain in C. arakawae was completed on day 3 after the infective blood meals at 25 degrees C. Sporozoites isolated from the salivary glands of C. arakawae on days 3 or 4 after feeding caused infection in all the chickens inoculated. The strain showed high pathogenicity for chickens. Mortality of chickens rose with an increase in the number of sporozoites inoculated. The prepatent period for chickens inoculated with sporozoites was 14 days. Parasites appeared in the peripheral blood of chickens on day 15 and disappeared on day 26 after sporozoite inoculation. Soluble antigens were found in the sera of chickens infected with the strain between 10 and 17 days after inoculation, and homologous antibodies appeared after 17 days. Antigens prepared from sera, schizonts, merozoites, and gametocytes of the Taiwanese strain reacted with the sera of chickens infected with the same strain or the strain isolated in Japan. The chickens that recovered from a primary infection with the Taiwanese strain demonstrated complete resistance to reinfection with the same strain or the the strain isolated in Japan.