Causative agents
- Leucocytozoon caulleryi
- L. sabrazesi


Differential diagnosis
- Avian malaria
- Newcastle disease


1. History taking
- Transmitted by biting midges (culicoides)
- Outbreak during active season of the vectors


2. Clinical examination
- Hemoptysis and sudden death
- Anemia, especially face and crest
- Tachypnea, leukocytosis
- Decrease of egg production and increase of
  soft shelled eggs
- Diarrhea with green droppings


3. Microscopic examination
- Blood smear and Giemsa staining
- Detection of merozoites or gametocytes in red
  blood cells


4. Necropsy
- Petechial hemorrhage in thymus, muscle,
  spleen, liver, kidney
- Splenomegaly, hepatomegaly
- Grossly visible white dots in many organs

5. Tissue smear
- Wet smear of bleeding lesions for detection of
  schizonts
- Giemsa staining of bone marrow smear for
  detection of merozoites or gametocytes


6. Histopathological observation
- Detection of L. caulleryi schizonts in organs,
  but L. sabrazesi gametocytes found only in
  blood smear
- Blockage of capillaries by schizonts, edema
  and hemorrhages in subcutis, muscle,kidney,
  ovary, oviduct, liver pancreas, thymus and
  bursa of Fabricius
- Activation of reticuloendothelial cells and
  phagocytized merozoites in spleen


Control and treatment
- Control of vectors by using light traps at night
  time
- Prevention and treatment with effective drugs
  such as sulfamonomethoxine or sulfadimethoxine
  in the feed