The effect of host age on the course of infection ofRaillietina cesticillus(Molin, 1858) in the fowl

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Abstract
The effect of host age on the course of infection ofRaillietina cesticillusin the chicken has been investigated. It was found that male hosts become resistant to the cestode with increasing age. This resistance manifests itself in an increased rate of destrobilization and consequent loss of scolices and in a decreased rate of growth of the worms. The cestodes are distributed over a greater length of intestine in old than in young birds. In female hosts age resistance develops more rapidly than in males until the birds are 84 days old and from this age onwards the manifestations of resistance decline. The possible factors responsible for age resistance toR. cesticillusare discussed.