Connections between Ascaridia galli and the bacterial flora in the intestine of hens.

Parasitological dissections of 502 intestinal tracts of hens deriving from big private chicken-farms have been done. In the jejunum of 146 hosts (ext. 29.1%) from 1 to 21 individuals of A. galli were detected. Using bacterial selective media and biochemical tests, the microorganisms from the hen's intestinal tracts as well as from the cuticle surface of the nematodes were identified. Among them were: grampositive (+) Lactobacillus, Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Micrococcus, Sarcina, Clostridium, Corynebacterium; gramnegative (-) Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas, Pasteurella, and fungi Candida and others. The lower frequency of microorganisms and the smaller amount of bacteria in the intestinal content in infected hens than in uninfected show that A. galli has antibacterial properties.