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PubMedDate not supplied

Recombinant chicken interferon-gamma-mediated inhibition of Eimeria tenella development in vitro and reduction of oocyst production and body weight loss following Eimeria acervulina challenge infection.

Recombinant chicken interferon-gamma (chIFN-gamma) was produced in CHO-K1 or Spodoptera frugiperda (SF9) insect cells by transfection with a pcDNA vector or recombinant baculovirus (SF9-interferon-gamma [IFN-gamma] carrying the chIFN-gamma gene. A rabbit antibody against a synthetic peptide corresponding to an immunogenic portion of chIFN-gamma recognized a 22-23-kDa band in SF9-IFN-gamma cell extracts by western blot analysis. Biological activity of recombinant chIFN-gamma was shown by its inhibition of vesicular stomatitis virus-induced cytotoxicity of chicken embryonic fibroblast cells in vitro. To investigate the role of chIFN-gamma during Eimeria infection, CHCC-OU2 chicken cells either pretreated with chIFN-gamma or stably transfected with the chIFN-gamma gene were infected with Eimeria tenella sporozoites. IFN-gamma demonstrated significant reductions in intracellular sporozoite development without affecting sporozoite invasion of host cells. Furthermore, chickens treated with recombinant chIFN-gamma showed decreased oocyst production and significant improvement in body weight gain following Eimeria acervulina challenge infection. These results provide the first direct evidence that chIFN-gamma exerts an inhibitory effect against Eimeria and provides a rational basis for use of this cytokine as a vaccine adjuvant against coccidiosis.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Descriptions of two new species of Eimeria (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) and of Eimeria chinchillae-like oocysts from the plains vizcacha Lagostomus maximus (Desmarest, 1817) (Rodentia: Chinchillidae) from Argentina.

Of 163 fecal samples collected between March 1997 and February 1999 from the plains vizcacha, Lagostomus maximus (Rodentia: Chinchillidae), 19 (12%) were found to be positive for coccidia. All species are from the genus Eimeria and 2 are described here as new. The third species is consistent with the description of Eimeria chinchillae De Vos and Van der Westhuizen, 1968. Sporulated oocysts of Eimeria lagostomi n. sp. are ellipsoidal to subspheroidal, 35.7 x 30.9 (26-36 x 30-41), with a length:width (L/W) ratio of 1.2 (1.0-1.3), without a micropyle (M) or polar granule (PG), but with an oocyst residuum (OR) comprised of a round, compact mass of many small granules. The sporocysts are lemon-shaped, 14.2 x 10.2 (9-11 x 11-16), with an L/W ratio of 1.4 (1.2-1.7) and have a Stieda body (SB) and sporocyst residuum (SR). Eimeria vizcacho n. sp. has sporulated oocysts that are subspheroidal, 26.4 x 23.4 (21-27 x 23-31), with an L/W ratio of 1.1 (1.1-1.2), lack an M and OR, but have 1-2 PGs. Sporocysts are elongate-ellipsoidal, 14.3-9.0 (8-10 x 13-15), with an L/W ratio of 1.6 (1.4-1.8), lack an SB, but have 2 SR; the first a small mass of granules lying between the sporozoites in the middle or at 1 end, and the second also of many small granules, always at the opposite end. Sporulated oocysts of the E. chinchillae-like organism are ellipsoidal to subspheroidal, 20.7 x 17.5 (15-22 x 17-24) with an L/W ratio of 1.2 (1.0-1.3), lack an M and OR, but have 0-3 PGs. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal, 10.7-6.9 (6-8 x 8-13) with an L/W ratio of 1.55 (1.3-1.8) and have an SB and SR.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Cross-transmission studies with Eimeria arizonensis, E. arizonensis-like oocysts and Eimeria langebarteli: host specificity at the genus and species level within the Muridae.

Cross-transmission experiments were done using sporulated oocysts of Eimeria arizonensis from Peromyscus truei and Peromyscus maniculatus, and oocysts of 2 putative species that resemble E. arizonensis, i.e., Eimeria albigulae from Neotoma albigula, and Eimeria onychomysis from Onychomys leucogaster. Oocysts of each species were inoculated into representatives of P. maniculatus and the latter 2 rodent species. Other experiments were conducted wherein oocysts of Eimeria langebarteli from Peromyscus leucopus were given to P. truei and P. maniculatus. Oocysts of E. arizonensis from P. truei and P. maniculatus could be transmitted only to P. maniculatus; likewise, oocysts of E. albigulae and E. onychomysis produced patent infections only in N. albigula and O. leucogaster, respectively. Oocysts of E. langebarteli from P. leucopus could be transmitted to P. truei, but not P. maniculatus. These results indicate that E. arizonensis, and the morphologically similar E. albigulae and E. onychomysis, are distinct species that are not transmissible between the genera of their respective hosts (Peromyscus, Neotoma, Onychomys), and that some isolates of E. langebarteli, reported from 6 species of Peromyscus and Reithrodontomys megalotis, may not always be infective to P. maniculatus.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Description of Eimeria vejdovskyi sp.n. and redescription of Eimeria media Kessel, 1929 from the rabbit.

On the basis of oocyst morphology, endogenous cycles, prepatent period, and enzyme analysis, Eimeria media was found to be a composite species, representing two independent species differing from all other species of rabbit coccidia. One of them was designated Eimeria media Kessel, 1929 and the other was described as a new species, Eimeria vejdovskyi. E. media has relatively larger oocysts (mean size 32.88 X 19.19 micron), the endogenous development takes place in the epithelium of the ileum or of posterior jejunum, and the developmental stages gradually migrate from the crypts towards the tips of villi. E. media forms three asexual generations, the prepatent period is 9 days. Eimeria vejdovskyi sp.n. has relatively smaller oocysts (29.05 X 18.18 micron) and is localized throughout the small intestine. E. vejdovskyi sp.n. forms two asexual generations, which are localized mostly in the upper part of villi, like the gametogony. At the beginning of the endogenous development the parasites were localized mostly in the epithelium, while the second asexual generation and gametogony took place also in the lamina propria. The prepatent period was 6 days. It was found that the two species differ from one another in the electrophoretic mobility of lactate dehydrogenase and glucosophosphate isomerase.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Oocyst output, periodicity, and immunity of two deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) eimerians (Eimeria arizonensis and Eimeria delicata).

We compared the life histories of 2 eimerians (Eimeria arizonensis and Eimeria delicata), which co-occur in the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus). Laboratory-reared deer mice were given 10(3), 10(4) (E. delicata), or 10(3), 10(4), or 10(5) (E. arizonensis) oocysts by stomach intubation. Eimeria arizonensis infections lasted longer (11-13 days) than E. delicata infections (9-10 days). Eimeria arizonensis infections also produced more oocysts for each oocyst ingested at both levels compared. Both parasites exhibited periodicity in oocyst output at all levels compared. However, peaks in E. arizonensis output occurred at approximately 20-24-hr intervals, whereas peaks in E. delicata output occurred at 12-16-hr intervals. Finally, deer mice developed immunity to both eimerians after only 1 inoculation at all levels tested. Based on these parameters, we expect E. arizonensis to have a greater reproductive potential than E. delicata in free-living deer mice.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1992

Potential of a recombinant antigen as a prophylactic vaccine for day-old broiler chickens against Eimeria acervulina and Eimeria tenella infections.

A genetically engineered Eimeria tenella antigen (GX3262), produced as a fusion protein with beta-galactosidase and identified with a monoclonal antibody, induced partial but significant protection in young broiler chickens against experimental E. tenella and Eimeria acervulina infections. The antigen appears to share a T-helper cell epitope with the parasite as evidenced by (a) booster inoculation with either the recombinant antigen or with a small number of live oocysts enhanced the protective immunity in GX3262 primed chickens, and (b) ability of the antigen to induce in vitro stimulation of T-cells from chickens immunized with antigen or parasite. These observations suggest the feasibility of a single vaccination of 1 or 2-day-old broilers with GX3262 to induce an acceptable degree of protective immunity. The implications of the observations reported here are far reaching in terms of a practical coccidiosis vaccine for poultry, and show for the first time that 1-day-old broiler chickens can be efficiently vaccinated with a recombinant antigen against one or more species of Eimeria.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Kinetics of specific immunoglobulin A, M and G production in the duodenal and caecal mucosa of chickens infected with Eimeria acervulina or Eimeria tenella.

The development and appearance of antibody was studied in the intestine and serum from histocompatible GB1 chickens orally infected with oocysts of Eimeria acervulina (restricted to the duodenum) or Eimeria tenella (restricted to the caeca). The local immune response was measured as the specific antibody levels in the supernatants of intestinal fragments (duodenum and caecum) maintained in culture for 16 h at 41 degrees C, 5% CO2, 95% air. Specific IgM was detected 1 week after E. acervulina infection, and the specific IgA and IgG contents of the duodenum and caecum were significantly elevated (P < 0.001) after 2 weeks. The intestinal specific IgG content was raised. E. tenella infection resulted in specific IgA only in the parasitized area during the second week post-infection (P < 0.05). Specific IgM and IgG were both detected in the duodenum and caecum, respectively, 1 and 2 weeks p.i. Production of parasite-specific immunoglobulins was always significantly higher in the parasitized than in the unparasitized areas (caeca for E. acervulina, duodenum for E. tenella). This ex vivo culture assay of intestinal fragments used to measure the mucosal immune response of intestinal areas showed a significant production of specific IgA and IgM. In addition, high levels of IgG were also measured. The role of this specific IgG in Eimeria infection remains to be determined.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Maternal transfer of antibodies induced by infection with Eimeria maxima partially protects chickens against challenge with Eimeria tenella.

Infection of breeding hens with Eimeria maxima induces production of Eimeria-specific IgG antibodies which are transferred to hatchlings via the egg yolk and confer a high degree of maternal immunity against homologous challenge and partial immunity to infection with another important species, Eimeria tenella. As an example, in an experiment using hatchlings from eggs collected between days 28 and 39 after infection of the hens with 20,000 sporulated E. maxima oocysts, control chicks (challenged with 100 sporulated oocysts) excreted 6.8 +/- 1.2 million (mean +/- S.E., n = 10) or 5.8 +/- 1.2 million (n = 8) oocysts of E. maxima or E. tenella, respectively, compared to 0.9 +/- 0.4 million (n = 5) E. maxima oocysts or 2.2 +/- 0.4 million (n = 9) E. tenella oocysts excreted by hatchlings of infected hens. This represents an 87% reduction in oocyst excretion with regard to E. maxima and a 62% reduction in oocyst excretion with regard to E. tenella in the progeny of the infected hens. In another experiment, eggs were collected from days 28 to 37 and again from days 114 to 123 after infection of the hens with E. maxima and hatchling oocyst excretion rates were 82% and 62%, respectively, reduced for E. maxima and 43% and 41%, respectively, reduced for E. tenella in the progeny of hens infected with E. maxima compared to the progeny of uninfected hens. ELISA and Western blot analyses of maternally-derived IgG revealed a high degree of cross-reactivity to antigens of E. maxima and E. tenella.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Immune responses in Eimeria acervulina infected one-day-old broilers compared to amount of Eimeria in the duodenum, measured by real-time PCR.

T-cell responses are supposed to be the major immune reactions in broilers infected with Eimeria. The nature of such T-cell responses is influenced by the species of Eimeria involved, age of the host, amount of parasites and the preceding infection history. In young chicks the intestine is still developing in length while the lymphocyte populations in the gut develop and differentiate. In chicks infected at young age the immune response may be different in quality as compared to responses in adults. We investigated the (T-cell) immune responses of young broilers to a primary Eimeria acervulina infection in relation to the number of parasites used for infection. In our experiment we infected one-day-old broilers with a low (5 x 10(2) oocysts) and a high (5 x 10(4) oocysts) dose of E. acervulina. We used a newly developed species specific real-time PCR to quantify total amount of parasites in the duodenum as the number of oocysts in faeces may not be representative for the exposure of the gut immune system. We characterized T-cell subsets in the duodenum by means of FACS-analyses, lymphocyte proliferation assays with spleen lymphocytes and the mRNA profiles of different cytokines (TGF-beta2, -4, IFN-gamma, IL-2, -6, -8 and -18) in the duodenum by means of real-time PCR. From day 5 p.i. broilers with a high dose of E. acervulina had a significantly lower body weight than the control group. No increase in CD4(+) cells, but a strong increase in CD8(+) cells was observed at days 7 and 9 p.i. in the duodenum of broilers infected with a high dose E. acervulina. IL-8 mRNA responses were observed after infection with low and with high infection doses, but no IFN-gamma and TGF-beta mRNA responses were found in the duodenum. The specific proliferative T-cell responses to a low infectious dose were not significantly different as compared to the control group. In conclusion, based on the kinetics of observed responses a primary infection with a high dose of E. acervulina in one-day-old broilers seems to generate an immune response that shows a peak at the time of oocyst excretion, whereas the immune response to a low dose is less explicit.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

A DNA vaccine encoding a conserved Eimeria protein induces protective immunity against live Eimeria acervulina challenge.

Coccidiosis is caused by several distinct intestinal protozoa of Eimeria sp., and is responsible for intestinal lesions and severe body weight loss in chickens. To develop a DNA vaccination strategy for coccidiosis, an expression vector pMP13 encoding a conserved antigen of Eimeria was constructed by subcloning 3-1E cDNA into pBK-CMV and used to elicit protective immunity against E. acervulina. One-day-old chickens were immunized intramuscularly (IM) or subcutaneously (SC) with various doses of pMP13 expression vector ranging from 5 to 100 ug two weeks apart and were challenged with 5x10(3) E. acervulina. Chickens immunized with 5, 10, 50 or 100 ug of pMP13 plasmid, but not control plasmid, pBK-CMV, showed significantly reduced oocysts following challenge infection with E. acervulina. Two injections were in general more effective than one injection with higher dose of DNA eliciting better protection. At 10 days post challenge infection, maximum levels of circulating antibodies were detected regardless of the routes of injection, although IM injection provided higher levels of serum antibodies compared to SC injection. Serum antibody levels demonstrated a dose-dependent response showing higher antibody production at higher DNA dose. DNA immunization with pMP13 also induced significant changes in T-cell subpopulations in the spleen and duodenum intraepithelial lymphocytes. At 4 days post DNA immunization, pMP13-immunized chickens showed lower CD8, and higher CD4(+) and gammadelta T(+) cells in the duodenum compared to the pBK-CMV-immunized chickens. Following challenge infection with E. acervulina, pMP13-immunized chickens showed lower CD8(+) and alphabeta T(+) cells, and higher CD4(+) cells than pBK-CMV-immunized chickens in the duodenum. These findings demonstrate that DNA immunization with pMP13 induce local and systemic host immune responses against Eimeria.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Studies of resistance to anticoccidials in Eimeria field isolates and pure Eimeria strains.

Ten Eimeria field isolates from North Germany were studied in battery tests for sensitivity to selected anticoccidials. A high percentage of the Eimeria field isolates (9 out of 10) showed resistance to anticoccidials, mostly multiple resistance. Partial or complete resistance to maduramicin was found in 7 field isolates, to monensin in 6, to salinomycin in 5, to nicarbazin in 8, to halofuginone in 7, to robenidine and toltrazuril in 1, and to diclazuril in 2 field isolates. Multiple resistance had developed in 7 of the 10 isolates. Cross-resistance between maduramicin, monensin, and salinomycin occurred in 5 Eimeria isolates. One isolate showed cross-resistance between diclazuril and toltrazuril. From the resistant isolates 15 pure E. acerculina and 5 pure E. brunetti strains were obtained by single oocyst infections. Seven of the E. acerculina and 4 of the E. brunetti strains showed resistance or partial resistance that was also present in the original isolate. Ten of 11 resistant strains were multiply resistant.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Eimeria galateai sp. n. from the Paradise Kingfisher, and Eimeria duncani sp. n. from the Sacred Kingfisher in Papua New Guinea.

Eimeria galateai sp. n. from the paradise kingfisher (Tanysiptera galatea Gray) and Eimeria duncani sp. n. from the sacred kingfisher (Halcyon sancta Vigors & Horsfield) have been described from Papua New Guinea. Four of 11 paradise kingfishers were infected with E. galateai oocysts, measuring 13 (11-16) X 9 (8-11) micron. The oocysts were ovoid with nipple-like protrusion at one pole. Micropyle and polar granule were absent, while oocyst residuum (5 X 4 micron) was present. Sporocysts, measuring 5 (4-6) X 2 micron, were elongate-ovoid, and had a distinct convex Stieda body; the sporocyst residuum was absent. Two of 9 sacred kingfishers were infected with ovoid-truncated, 22 (19-25) X 16 (12-18) micron oocysts of E. duncani. Polar granule (5 X 2) was present in the oocysts, but there was no micropyle or oocyst residuum. Sporocysts were ovoid, measuring 9 (8-10) X 5 (4-6) micron, with a prominent Stieda body, and granular sporocyst residuum. Eimeria galateai and E. duncani are the first species of this genus to be described from birds of the order Coraciiformes.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Eimeria dispersa and Eimeria gallopavonis: infectivity, survival, and development in primary chicken and turkey kidney cell cultures.

Eimeria dispersa (turkey strain) and Eimeria gallopavonis sporozoites were inoculated into primary cultures of chicken kidney (CK) and turkey kidney (TK) cells. Eimeria dispersa sporozoites were more infective in either cell type than those of E. gallopavonis: at 4 hr, the percentage of infection was 67-98 for E. dispersa but only 23-56 for E. gallopavonis. E. dispersa also survived better in culture: at 2 days, losses of E. dispersa in both cell types were only 4-19%, whereas losses of E. gallopavonis were 35-47% IN TK cells and 60-95% CK cells. However, E. gallopavonis developed further than E. dispersa. Location and increase in numbers of intracellular stages at 4 days indicated that E. dispersa proceeded through 2 schizogonic generations before development stopped.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Coccidia of Brazilian mammals: Eimeria corticulata n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the anteater Tamandua tetradactyla (Xenarthra: Myrmecophagidae) and Eimeria zygodontomyis n. sp. from the cane mouse Zygodontomys lasiurus (Rodentia: Cricetidae).

Feces from a specimen of Tamandua tetradactyla (Linn.) from Portel, Pará State, north Brazil, contained two different coccidial oocysts; one identified as Eimeria tamanduae Lainson 1968, and the other as a new species, described here as Eimeria corticulata n. sp. Oocysts of E. corticulata are ellipsoidal, 37.4 x 30.4 (31.2-43.7 x 23.7-35.0) microns, shape index (length/width) 1.2 (1.0-1.5). Oocyst wall 2.5-3.7 microns thick and composed of two layers; an outer thick, brown-yellow one with radial striations, and a thin inner smooth one: no visible micropyle. Oocyst residuum a large globule of about 10.7 x 10.3 microns, usually accompanied by a number of smaller attached globules. Sporocysts ellipsoidal, 21.0 x 11.0 (20.0-22.5 x 10.0-12.5) microns, with a conspicuous Stieda body; shape index 1.9 (1.6-2.2). Sporocyst residuum a small number of scattered granules: sporozoites 18.7 x 5.0 microns, with a large posterior refractile body. Eimeria zygodontomyis n. sp. is described in feces from Zygodontomys lasiurus (Lund) from the Serra dos Carajás, Pará. Oocysts ellipsoidal to cylindrical, 16.5 x 12.0 (13.7-18.7 x 11.2-12.3) microns, shape index 1.4 (1.2-1.5). Wall colorless, smooth, single-layered and about 0.6 micron thick: no micropyle. No oocyst residuum, but a polar granule of about 1.8 x 1.0 microns is sometimes present. Sporocysts ellipsoidal, 8.4 x 5.5 (7.5-8.7 x 5.0-6.2) microns, shape index 1.5 (1.4-1.7), with a thin colorless wall and a delicate Stieda body. Sporozoites enclose a compact residuum of about 2.5 x 3.7 microns.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Analysis of chicken mucosal immune response to Eimeria tenella and Eimeria maxima infection by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR.

The recent cloning of chicken genes coding for interleukins, chemokines, and other proteins involved in immune regulation and inflammation allowed us to analyze their expression during infection with Eimeria. The expression levels of different genes in jejunal and cecal RNA extracts isolated from uninfected chickens and chickens infected with Eimeria maxima or E. tenella were measured using a precise quantitative reverse transcription-PCR technique. Seven days after E. tenella infection, expression of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) mRNA was increased 80-fold. Among the chemokines analyzed, the CC chemokines K203 (200-fold) and macrophage inflammatory factor 1beta (MIP-1beta) (80-fold) were strongly upregulated in the infected ceca, but the CXC chemokines IL-8 and K60 were not. However, the CXC chemokines were expressed at very high levels in uninfected cecal extracts. The levels of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) (300-fold), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) (200-fold), and myelomonocytic growth factor (MGF) (50-fold) were also highly upregulated during infection with E. tenella, whereas cyclooxygenase 2 showed a more modest (13-fold) increase. The genes upregulated during E. tenella infection were generally also upregulated during E. maxima infection but at a lower magnitude except for those encoding MIP-1beta and MGF. For these two cytokines, no significant change in expression levels was observed after E. maxima infection. CD3+ intraepithelial lymphocytes may participate in the IFN-gamma upregulation observed after infection, since both recruitment and upregulation of the IFN-gamma mRNA level were observed in the infected jejunal mucosa. Moreover, in the chicken macrophage cell line HD-11, CC chemokines, MGF, IL-1beta, and iNOS were inducible by IFN-gamma, suggesting that macrophages may be one of the cell populations involved in the upregulation of these cytokines observed in vivo during infection with Eimeria.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Use of monoclonal antibodies developed against chicken coccidia (Eimeria) to study invasion and development of Eimeria reichenowi in Florida sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis).

Eimeria gruis and Eimeria reichenowi are common coccidial parasites of a number of species of cranes. Until recently, little was known about either the site for invasion or the dynamics of early development of the crane coccidia because of the difficulty of identifying sporozoites and early developmental stages of these parasites by conventional staining methods. In the present study, monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) elicited against Eimeria spp. of chickens and turkeys were found to cross-react with sporozoites and developmental stages of E. reichenowi in the tissues of Florida sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis). With these Mabs, E. reichenowi sporozoites were found in specimens taken at 6 hr postinoculation (PI) from just proximal to Meckel's diverticulum in the jejunum to the ileocecal juncture. Fewer were found in the ceca and rectum and none in the duodenal loop. At 24 hr PI, there were markedly fewer sporozoites and their location had shifted to the duodenum. No stages were seen in intestinal cells at 5 days PI (DPI), but trophozoites had developed in the liver and spleen. At 10 DPI, sexual stages were detected in the intestine from the duodenal loop through Meckel's diverticulum but not in other organs. By 14 DPI, numerous developmental stages were detected in the intestine (ceca and jejunum), liver, and lungs but not in the heart, kidney, or brain. The number, location, and maturity of the stages in the ceca differed markedly from those in the jejunum.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Eimerian life cycles: the patency of eimeria vermiformis, but not Eimeria pragensis, is subject to host (Mus musculus) influence.

The ability of Eimeria vermiformis and Eimeria pragensis to produce oocysts in primary infections is influenced by host factors. Oocyst production and the duration of patency were determined for each species in: NIH mice, normal or immunosuppressed (by X-irradiation or injection of cortisone acetate), and strains of mice: nu/+, nu/nu; BALB/c, C57BL/6 known (E. vermiformis), or suspected (E. pragensis), to be of contrasting susceptibility to infection. The effect of induced or genetic susceptibility on the reproduction of E. vermiformis resulted in increases in both oocyst production and the duration of patency. Eimeria pragensis was less affected, with smaller increases in the numbers of oocysts produced and no significant prolongation of patency. The implications of these findings with respect to eimerian life cycles are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Anticoccidial effect of monensin against Eimeria mitis and Eimeria dispersa.

Four chick and five poult trials were conducted in order to investigate the anticoccidial efficacy of monensin against Eimeria mitis in chickens and Eimeria dispersa in turkeys. The chicks were fed a basal diet with either 0 or 100 ppm of monensin. The poults were fed a basal diet with either 0 or 60 ppm of monensin. Two days after the initiation of each experiment, the chicks and poults were crop-intubated with oocysts of E. mitis and E. dispersa, respectively. A group was also included that was not infected and not medicated. Growth and feed intake were recorded. At 6 or 7 days postinoculation, the birds were killed by cervical dislocation and were scored for the incidence and severity of intestinal abnormalities. The Eimeria mitis infection reduced (P less than .01) gain and the feed:gain ratio, compared with uninfected birds; the E. dispersa infection only reduced (P less than .05) gain. Although well-defined, discrete lesions were not observed, marked intestinal abnormalities were noted in birds infected with either E. mitis or E. dispersa. Also, the infected, unmedicated birds had increased (P less than .01) intestinal scores compared with uninfected birds or those with infection but treated with monensin. Monensin eliminated the reduction in gain and feed efficiency seen in the infected birds. The infected birds fed monensin had intestinal scores, gain, and feed:gain ratios similar (P greater than .10) to those for the birds that were not infected and that did not receive medication.

Animals↗