What's worming Egyptian chickens: Morphological and molecular identification of Raillietina echinobothrida and Ascaridia galli in domestic chickens in Egypt.

Gastrointestinal helminths remain a major constraint to poultry production worldwide, causing significant economic losses and threatening food security. In Egypt, the molecular and phylogenetic data on Raillietina echinobothrida and Ascaridia galli are limited in domestic chickens. This study investigated the prevalence, morphology, and genetic characterization of these helminths infecting domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) in Gharbia province, Egypt. Between April 2018 and March 2019, 150 intestinal tracts were collected from slaughterhouses and poultry processing facilities. Helminths were isolated, morphologically identified, and subjected to molecular characterization using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted to determine evolutionary relationships. Helminth infections were detected in 30 % (45/150) samples, with no mixed infections observed. The infection rate of R. echinobothrida and A. galli was 6 % (n = 9), and 24 % (n = 36), respectively. Phylogenetic trees revealed that both species clustered with conspecific reference sequences, confirming accurate identification and demonstrating the specificity of the ITS marker. This study presents the first molecular characterization of R. echinobothrida and A. galli in domestic chickens in the Gharbia province, Egypt. The high prevalence of A. galli highlights the widespread nature of this nematode and underscores the need for further studies in the Nile Delta to precisely assess the burden of intestinal helminths on poultry production. Our data is vital for enhancing future epidemiological surveillance and control programs targeting helminth infections in this region.