A study published in The Journal of Applied Poultry Research and led by scientists at North Carolina State University suggests that having a broiler-breeder chicken farm within one mile of a turkey farm increases histomoniasis risk significantly. The protozoan Histomonas meleagridis, causes histomoniasis which is also known as blackhead disease.
The risk of disease transmission is the reason chickens and turkeys are already housed at separate facilities. New findings emphasize the importance of biosafety, the importance of assessing the risk of water runoff, worker movements between facilities and worm life cycles and habitats.
Source: Modern Poultry, October 23, 2023. Link. Chickens are the preferred host for a parasite called the cecal worm, or Heterakis. These worms carry Histomonas meleagridis and transmit the protozoan inside their eggs.