Trichomonas gallinae
Trichomonas gallinae
Taxonomy
- Kingdom Protozoa
- Phylum Parabasalia
- Class Trichomonadea
- Order Trichomonadida
- Family Trichomonadidae
- Genus Trichomonas
Final host
Birds
Morphology
Body ellipsoidal or pyriform (≈ 5-19 by 2-9 µm), with four anterior flagella The undulating membrane does not reach the posterior end of the body (free posterior flagellum absent) The costa runs three-quarters the length of the body The axostyle protrudes from the body and there is a pelta anterior to the axostile The nucleus is anterior
Cycle
Direct (oral-oral route) Direct transmission by feeding (parents to offspring, courtship), drinking contaminated water (trichomonads enter the water from the mouths, not the faeces) and eating contaminated food or carcasses
Location
Pharynx, oesophagus, crop, proventriculus (sometimes internal organs)
Feeding
Holozoic (phagocytosis)
Diagnostic
Trophozoite
Transmission
Trophozoite
