Parasitic infections of the grey-breasted helmet guinea-fowl (Numida meleagris galeata) in Nigeria

The major helminth parasites found in wild, semi-wild and golden Sovereign stock guinea fowl were Heterakis gallinarum, Ascaridia galli, Capillaria caudinflata, Raillietinatetragona and R. echinobothrida, while Eimeria species was the most important gastrointestinal protozoan parasite. The incidence of the latter was higher in the semi-wild stock than in the wild stock. Necropsy of dead guinea-fowl indicated that A. galli, H.gallinarum and Eimeria species were indeed responsible for their deaths, expecially in the young birds. Parasites found in blood smears were Leucocytozoan sp., Plasmodium sp. and Aegyptianella pullorum. The only tick found, Argas persicus, was on a few semiwild stock, while lice of genus Damalinia were found only on wild birds.