EN
In two farms of slaughter chickens (Hybro) situated at the Kraków voivodeship the ascites hypoxia syndrome was diagnosed. Mass losses, 150—200 chickens/day started in chickens ageing 2—3 weeks. Hiperproduction of erythroblasts in the bone marrow followed by their accumulation in precapillares and capillares, and then even sometimes in the great wessels of the internal organs was noted. As a result of ischaemia haemodynamic disturbances in organs characterized destruction of endothelium and basal membrane of blood vessels followed by an increased permeability of blood vessels. As a consequence a fluid was accumulated in the pleoro-visceral cavity and pericardium. A significant decrease a depot of glycogen was noted in the heart and liver together with the increase of neutral lipids. In blood serum appeared changes that pointed to a destruction of the so called erythrocyte cationic pump c.g. disturbances of Ca⁺⁺ and Mg⁺⁺ diffusion through the erythrocyte membranes and changes in the homotransglucolysative activity. The ascites hypoxia syndrome in the examined chickens may be qualified as unbalanced symptomatic secondary policytaemia (policytaemia symptomatica secondaria) resulting from a primary blood anoxia. Patomechanisms of the syndrome is connected with stress reaction induced by blood anoxia.