Parasitic Infections of Free –Range Chickens from GolestanProvince, Iran

Background: the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, intensity, and species of internal andexternal parasites of native fowls from golestan province, north of iran.methods: during 2007, different organs of 26 and 24 adult female native fowls collected from humidparts (gorgan, kord kooy, ramian and bandar gaz) and dry regions (gonbad kavoos, and bandartorkaman) of golestan province, respectively were searched for parasite. two blood smears taken fromeach bird were stained with geimsa. external parasites and nematodes were preserved in 70 % alcoholcontaining 5% glycerin. cestodes were fixed in 10% formalin and stained with carmine acid for furtherstudies.results: fifteen species of parasites were collected from alimentary canals, lungs, feathers and subcutaneousnodules as follows: alimentary canal: ascaridia galli (56%), heterakis gallinarum (24%), capillariaanatis (4%), cheilospirura hamulosa (4%), raillietina tetragona (58%), r. echinobothrida (6%),and choanotaenia infundibulum (8%); lungs: syngamus trachea (16%); feathers: monopon gallinae(40%), menacanthus stramineus (40%), liperus caponis (32%), goniodes dissimilis (38%), cuclogasterheterographus (8%), dermanissus gallinae (20%) and subcutaneous nodules: laminosioptes cysticola(6%).conclusion: the frequency distribution of most species was low. l. cysticola is the first host and distribution record for iran.