Significant drops in egg production can be seen in infected breeders or layers. The obvious lesion of ascarid infection is round worms present in the small intestines. In severe infections the intestinal mucosa will appear inflamed and the numerous parasites both inhibit the passage and absorption of nutrients. Diagnosis A diagnosis can be established either by demonstrating the parasites in the intestines or by performing a fecal flotation and visualizing the typical ascarid egg. Since the life cycle of the ascarid requires eggs to embryonate in the litter, it is rarely a problem in poultry raised on wire.
Ascarid infection is a common problem in broilers, broiler breeders, and turkeys.
Piperazine is the most commonly used drug for the treatment of ascarides. Piperazine administered in the drinking water is both efficacious and safe. It works by monentarily paralyzing the ascarides and they are expelled from the host. Since piperazine does not eliminate larvae that are migrating through the intestinal mucosa, two treatments are commonly done 14 days apart. Poultry on heavily contaminated litter are dewormed on a regular schedule often every 30 days.