Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Eimeria”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Eimeria clethrionomysis sp. n., Eimeria gallatii sp. n., Eimeria pileata sp. n. and Eimeria marconii sp. n. from the red-backed vole Clethrionomys gapperi Vigors, from Pennsylvania.

Four new eimerian species are described from red-backed voles, Clethrionomys gapperi in Pennsylvania. Sporulated oocysts of Eimeria clethrionomyis sp. n. are ellipsoidal, 18.8 (16.5-21.5) x 14.9 (14.0-16.5) with elongate, ovoid sporocysts, 10.6 (9.5-12.0) x6.1 (5.5-7.0). The oocyst wall is smooth, with 2 layers, and thins, with terminal cap at one or both ends. Polar granules, dark Stieda body and sporocyst residuum are present. The oocyst residuum is absent. Sporulated oocysts of Eimeria gallatii sp. n. are ellipsoidal, 27.7 (21-32) x 19.3 (17-24) with ovoid sporocysts, 13.5 (12-15) x 8.8 (8-10). The oocyst wall is smooth, 2-layered, with a micropyle and thin wall at the end opposite the micropyle. Polar granules, Stieda body and sporocyst residuum are present. The oocyst residuum is atypical, of cobwebby material. Sporulated oocysts of Eimeria pileata sp. n. are subspherical to spherical, 25.2 (20.5-29.5) x 22.5 (19.5-25.5) with ellipsoidal sporocysts, 13.4(10.5-15.0) x 8.4 (7.5-9.5). The oocyst wall is rough, pitted, striated, 2-layered, with no micropyle. Polar granules, oocyst and sporocyst residuum, Stieda body and stiedal cap are present. Sporulated oocysts of Eimeria marconii sp. n. are ellipsoidal, 13.0 (10.5-15-0) x 10.6 (9.5-12.0) with elongate, ovoid sporocysts, 7.7 (7.0-8.5) x 4.2 (3.0-4.5). The oocyst wall is smooth, single-layered, with no micropyle. Polar granules, dark Stiedal body and sporocyst residuum are present. There is no oocyst residuum.

Animals↗

Prevalence of Eimeria acervulina, Eimeria necatrix, Eimeria brunetti and Eimeria tenella in Georgia (USA) as demonstrated by immunity challenge techniques.

Eimeria acervulina, E. necatrix, E. brunetti and E. tenella were found to be widely distributed in north-east Georgia. 2. Using immunity challenge techniques 17 flocks from 12 to 72 weeks of age showed significantly lower lesion scores for the first three species compared with susceptible control flocks similarly challenged. Only one flock was found to be susceptible to E. tenella. No mortality occurred in the field flocks after challenge while 20 to 60% mortality occurred in the susceptible controls. 3. Partial immunity occurred more frequently in field flocks aged 28 weeks of age or less (62%) than in older flocks (30%). Lesion scores ranged from 0-1 to 2-2 with the former and 0-1 to 0-6 with the latter group. 4. A modification of the immunity challenge method was developed using lesion scores as the major criterion determining immunity. The method permits testing of four species infecting different parts of the digestive tract in one group of birds.

Animals↗

Eimeria brunetti and Eimeria necatrix in chickens of Argentina and confirmation of seven species of Eimeria.

Ten poultry farms (broiler breeder pullets, layer pullets, and broilers) in the provinces of Entre Rios and Buenos Aires in Argentina were examined for presence of Eimeria spp. Litter samples obtained from flocks 7-11 wk old were taken to the laboratory for oocyst counting and sporulation, then concentrated for inoculation into coccidia-free chickens. Species were identified by prepatent period, oocyst size, location and appearance of lesions in the intestine, microscopic examination of mucosal smears, and histology (to confirm Eimeria brunetti). On this basis, Eimeria praecox was found in two samples, Eimeria mitis in two, Eimeria acervulina in nine, Eimeria maxima in seven, Eimeria necatrix in three, Eimeria tenella in seven, and E. brunetti in four. These results confirm the presence of all seven recognized species of Eimeria in chickens in the Republic of Argentina.

Animals↗

Effects of Natustat supplementation on performance, feed efficiency and intestinal lesion scores in broiler chickens challenged with Eimeria acervulina, Eimeria maxima and Eimeria tenella.

The effects of dietary supplementation of Natustat, a proprietary plant derived product (Alltech Inc., KY, USA) and Salinomycin, on performance, feed efficiency and intestinal lesion scores were observed during two Eimeria challenge trials in broiler chickens. In the first trial chickens were challenged with Eimeria sp. via infecting the litter with a known amount of Eimeria oocysts. In the second trial the source of the Eimeria challenge was the litter from the first trial and the same treatment groups were assigned to the same pens as in the initial trial. Birds were placed 55 per pen with seven pens per treatment. Performance parameters were recorded on days 21 and 42 during both trials. Intestinal lesion scores were assessed on days 14 and 21 during Trial 1 and on day 21 during Trial 2. Average weight gain and feed conversion ratios were significantly improved in the Natustat and Salinomycin treatment groups when compared to the non-supplemented infected group. Furthermore, lesion scores were lower on all sampling days in the Natustat and Salinomycin groups when compared to the non-supplemented group. However, only lesions associated with Eimeria tenella were significantly lowered by Natustat and Salinomycin supplementation. Natustat and Salinomycin were equivalent in alleviating the negative performance effects associated with coccidiosis challenge. In summary, Natustat has the potential to be used as a natural alternative to chemotherapeutic drugs for Eimeria control.

Animals↗

Description of Eimeria motelo sp. n. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the yellow footed tortoise, Geochelone denticulata (Chelonia: Testudinidae), and replacement of Eimeria carinii Lainson, Costa & Shaw, 1990 by Eimeria lainsoni nom. nov.

Eimeria motelo sp. n. is described from faeces of the yellow-footed tortoise, Geochelone denticulata (L.). Oocysts are irregularly ellipsoidal or cylindrical, with slightly expressed lobed protrusions and irregularities at the poles, possibly caused by wrinkling of the oocyst wall, 17 (15-19) x 9.4 (8.5-11) microm, shape index (length/width) being 1.81 (1.45-2). The oocyst wall is smooth, single-layered, 0.5 microm thick with no micropyle. There are no polar bodies. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal, 8.9 (7.5-10) x 4.4 (4-5) microm, shape index 2.03 (1.7-2.5). A sporocyst residuum is present, composed of many granules of irregular size. The sporozoites are elongate, lying lengthwise in the sporocysts. Comparison with other species of the genus Eimeria parasitising members of family Testudinidae indicates that the presently described coccidium represents a new species. The name of Eimeria carinii Lainson, Costa & Shaw, 1990 is found to be preoccupied by a homonym, Eimeria carinii Pinto 1928 given to a coccidium from Rattus norvegicus. Therefore, it is replaced by Eimeria lainsoni nom. nov.

Animals↗

Coccidia of wombats: correction of host-parasite relationships. Eimeria wombati (Gilruth and Bull, 1912) Comb. Nov. and Eimeria ursini Supperer, 1957 from the hairy-nosed wombat and Eimeria arundeli sp. n. from the common wombat.

Coccidial oocysts morphologically consistent with Eimeria ursini Supperer 1957, and E. tasmaniae Supperer 1957 were recovered from the feces of wild and captive hairy-nosed wombats (Lasiorhinus latifrons) in Australia. Eimeria arundeli so. n. was recovered from the feces of wild and captive common wombats (Vombatus ursinus). Eimeria arundeli oocysts are ellipsoidal to slightly ovoid 60.2--67.2 (63.7) X 40.6--47.6 (43.4); micropyle 3 in diameter usually visible; with oocyst wall granular, dark brown and occasionally opaque, 4--7 thick; inner oocyst wall clear, about 1.5 thick; small oocyst residuum present, four sporocysts ovoid 22.4--29.4 (25.8) X 12.6--15.4 (14.1) with protuberant Stieda body; opposite end of sporocyst also often slighly pointed; large granular sporocyst residuum obscuring sporozoites. Gametocytes of E. arundeli sp. n. and of an organism which is consistent with E. tasmaniae, are described developing in the lamina propria of villi in the small intestine. The stages in the hairy-nosed wombat are those described as Ileocystis wombati Gilruth and Bull 1912. It is suggested that the identification of the host of Supperer's E. ursini and E. tasmaniae as V. ursinus was in error and that the allopatric L. latifrons is the natural host. Eimeria tasmaniae Supperer 1957 is suppressed and E. wombati (Gilruth and Bull, 1912) comb. nov. is proposed and redescribed. No schizonts were identified among the endogenous stages, consistent with observations in the literature on other coccidia with similar gametocyte and oocyst structure.

Animals↗

Effect of betaine on the growth performance of chicks inoculated with mixed cultures of avian Eimeria species and on invasion and development of Eimeria tenella and Eimeria acervulina in vitro and in vivo.

At 7 d postinoculation (DPI) with a mixed culture of avian Eimeria species, 21-d-old chicks maintained in batteries and floor pens on a diet containing 0.15% (3 lb/ton) betaine plus 66 ppm (60 g/ton) salinomycin were significantly heavier and had significantly lower feed conversion ratios and mortality than chicks fed diets containing 0.15% betaine or 66 ppm salinomycin alone, or the control diet. At 31 DPI, when the chicks were 45 d old, the differences between the diet groups were not as great as at 7 DPI. In vitro, except at high concentrations, betaine was nontoxic to sporozoites of Eimeria tenella or Eimeria acervulina and had little effect on their invasion and development in cultured cells. In vivo, invasion by E. tenella and E. acervulina sporozoites was significantly reduced in all chicks fed diets containing betaine or salinomycin compared with that in control chicks. There was a significant interaction between betaine and salinomycin that impacted on invasion by both species. Overall development of E. tenella did not appear to be adversely affected by addition of betaine to diets containing salinomycin. Conversely, development of E. acervulina was reduced in chicks fed diets containing 0.075% (1.5 lb/ton) betaine plus 66 ppm salinomycin as compared with that in chicks fed salinomycin alone.

Animals↗

Eimeria strangfordensis sp. n., Eimeria barleyi sp. n., and eimeria antonellii sp. n. from the eastern woodrat (Neotoma floridana) from Pennsylvania.

Three new eimerian species are described from the eastern woodrat, Neotoma floridana, in Pennsylvania. Sporulated oocysts of Eimeria strangfordensis sp. n. are broadly ellipsoidal, 25.0 to 31.7 (29.1) x 20.5 to 26.2 (24.1) with subspherical to ovoid sporocysts, 10.6 to 17.2 (13.4) x 7.4 to 16.4 (10.9). Oocyst wall is thick, rough, pitted, and two layered with no micropyle. Oocyst and sporocyst residuum and Stieda body are present; polar granule is absent. Sporulated oocysts of Eimeria barleyi sp. n. are broadly ellipsoidal, 18.0 to 24.8 (21.7) x 16.2 to 21.2 (18.4) with ovoid sporocysts, 9.8 to 11.9 (10.7) x 7.4 to 8.7 (8.0). Oocyst wall is rough, pitted, and two layered with micropyle. Polar granule, Stieda and substiedal bodies, and sporocyst residuum are present; oocyst residuum is absent. Sporulated oocysts of Eimeria antonellii sp. n. are spherical to ellipsoidal, 14.8 to 23.8 (18.2) x 11.9 to 20.5 (14.8) with ovoid sporocysts, 7.4 to 9.8 (8.5) x 4.5 to 6.6 (5.6). Oocyst wall is smooth, and single layered with no micropyle. Polar granule, oocyst and sporocyst residuum, and Stieda body are present.

Animals↗

Eimeria tenella, Eimeria necatrix, and Eimeria adenoeides: peripheral blood leukocyte response of chickens and turkeys to strains adapted to the turkey embryo.

The peripheral blood leukocyte responses of chickens and turkeys inoculated with one of three strains of a chicken Eimeria species adapted to the turkey embryo with their respective parent lines, or with E. adenoeides of the turkey were studied. The adapted lines tended to cause hematological changes in chickens and turkeys similar to those caused by E. adenoeides. These parasites caused the most significant increases in large mononuclear white blood cells = (monocytes) in both chickens and turkeys. These results provide further evidence for a monocyte/macrophage effector mechanism in the rejection of heterologous species of Eimeria from a nonspecific host. The results also agree with previous studies that show that increases in mononuclear white blood cells during parent E. tenella and E. necatrix infections in chickens occur during the periods of greatest tissue damage (3-4 days after inoculation). The generally unaffected lymphocyte numbers and increases in mononuclear white blood cells during infections with the adapted lines probably explain the reduced pathogenicity and the lack of immunogenicity seen previously in chickens inoculated with these three lines. Possibly, monocytes/macrophages play a role in the host specificity of the parasites.

Animals↗

Effect of aging on survival and pathogenicity of Eimeria acervulina and Eimeria acervulina and Eimeria tenella.

After 6 to 8 months of storage, cultures of sporulated Eimeria acervulina and E. tenella oocysts ahd a marked drop in the number of sporocysts that survived grinding, sporozoites that survived after excystation, and sporozoites that penetrated chick kidney cells in vitro. The rate of excystation was unaffected by storage of up to one year. In vivo pathogenicity, based on weight gain, lesion score, and plasma pigment, declined after 5 months of oocyst storage. The reduction in pathogenicity in vivo could be compensated for by adjusting the inoculation dosage to reflect the loss of infectivity seen in the in vitro test.

Animals↗

Studies on site finding and site specificity of Eimeria praecox, Eimeria maxima and Eimeria acervulina in chickens.

Sporozoites of 3 species of Eimeria were introduced into the caecum of young chickens. E. praecox and E. maxima failed to develop in this site, but light infections of E. acervulina were detected. Infection of the small intestine with all 3 species occurred when sporozoites were introduced via the caecum. Infections were produced when mucosal scrapings of small intestine from birds, inoculated via the caecum 1-4 h previously, were inoculated orally to susceptible chickens. Experiments with 51Cr-labelled sporozoites of E. praecox introduced in the caecum, confirmed that small numbers of sporozoites are capable of migrating from the lower to the upper intestine. Sporozoites were not transferred with liver tissue from birds given sporozoites via the caecum but were transferred with the liver of chickens given sporozoites intraperitoneally.

Animals↗

Phylogenetic position of Eimeria antrozoi, a bat coccidium (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) and its relationship to morphologically similar Eimeria spp. from bats and rodents based on nuclear 18S and plastid 23S rDNA sequences.

Partial plastid 23S and nuclear 18S rDNA genes were amplified and sequenced from 2 morphologically similar Eimeria species. E. antrozoi from a bat (Antrozous pallidus) and E. arizonensis from deer mice (Peromyscus spp.), as well as some other Eimeria species from bats and rodents. The phylogenetic trees clearly separated E. antrozoi from E. arizonensis. The phylogenies based on plastid 23S rDNA data and combined data of both plastid and nuclear genes grouped 2 bat Eimeria and 3 morphologically similar Eimeria species from rodents into 2 separate clades with high bootstrap support (100%, 3 rodent Eimeria species; 72-97%, 2 bat Eimeria species), which supports E. antrozoi as a valid species. The rodent Eimeria species did not form a monophyletic group. The 2 bat Eimeria species formed a clade with the 3 morphologically similar rodent Eimeria species (E. arizonensis, E. albigulae, E. onychomysis, all from cricetid rodents) with 100% bootstrap support, whereas 2 other rodent Eimeria species (E. nieschulzi, E. falciformis, from murid rodents) formed a separate clade with 100% bootstrap support. This suggests that the 2 Eimeria species from bats might be derived from rodent Eimeria species and may have arisen as a result of lateral host transfer between rodent and bat hosts.

Animals↗

The immunodominant Eimeria acervulina sporozoite antigen previously described as p160/p240 is a 19-kilodalton antigen present in several Eimeria species.

A lambda Zap II cDNA expression library, constructed from Eimeria acervulina (PAPa46 strain) sporulated oocyst stage, was screened with sera raised to E. acervulina or Eimeria tenella oocysts in order to isolate clones coding for antigens common to the two species. Most of the clones isolated were derived from the same gene. Antisera raised to a recombinant glutathione-S-transferase fusion protein 1P reacted with an antigen of 19 kDa in immunoblot of E. acervulina sporulated and unsporulated oocysts. Immunofluorescence of E. acervulina sporozoites indicated that the antigen is located in the cytoplasm. The anti-1P antisera reacted on immunoblots of E. tenella with a 19-kDa antigen and by immunofluorescence on E. tenella, Eimeria maxima and Eimeria falciformis sporozoites, indicating that the antigen is conserved in Eimeria species. DNA sequencing indicated that the sequence was almost identical to that of clone cSZ1 previously described by Jenkins et al. using E. acervulina strain #12. The 1P insert hybridized to a 1150-nt mRNA from E. acervulina PAPa46 strain and strain #12, a size consistent with the observed molecular weight of the protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Profiling local gene expression changes associated with Eimeria maxima and Eimeria acervulina using cDNA microarray.

Eimeria parasites show preferential sites of invasion in the avian intestine and produce a species-specific host immune response. Two economically important species, Eimeria acervulina and Eimeria maxima, preferentially invade and develop in the avian duodenum and jejunum/ileum, respectively. To investigate local host immune responses induced by parasite infection, global transcriptional changes in intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) induced by oral inoculation of chickens with E. acervulina or E. maxima were monitored using cDNA microarrays containing 400 unique chicken genes. Multiple gene transcripts were significantly up- or down-regulated following primary or secondary infection with E. acervulina or E. maxima. In general, infection by either parasite resulted in the expression changes of more genes following primary infection than following secondary infection, and E. acervulina caused more changes than did E. maxima. Although different regions of the small intestine were infected, similar changes in the levels of several cytokine mRNAs were observed in both Eimeria species following primary infection. Also identified was a set of transcripts whose expression was commonly enhanced or repressed in intestinal IELs of chickens infected with either parasite. Microarray analysis of chicken genes induced or repressed following Eimeria infection offers a powerful tool to enhance our understanding of host-parasite interactions leading to protective immunity.

Animals↗

The genome of Eimeria spp., with special reference to Eimeria tenella--a coccidium from the chicken.

Eimeria spp. contain at least four genomes. The nuclear genome is best studied in the avian species Eimeria tenella and comprises about 60 Mbp DNA contained within ca. 14 chromosomes; other avian and lupine species appear to possess a nuclear genome of similar size. In addition, sequence data and hybridisation studies have provided direct evidence for extrachromosomal mitochondrial and plastid DNA genomes, and double-stranded RNA segments have also been described. The unique phenotype of "precocious" development that characterises some selected lines of Eimeria spp. not only provides the basis for the first generation of live attenuated vaccines, but offers a significant entrée into studies on the regulation of an apicomplexan life-cycle. With a view to identifying loci implicated in the trait of precocious development, a genetic linkage map of the genome of E. tenella is being constructed in this laboratory from analyses of the inheritance of over 400 polymorphic DNA markers in the progeny of a cross between complementary drug-resistant and precocious parents. Other projects that impinge directly or indirectly on the genome and/or genetics of Eimeria spp. are currently in progress in several laboratories, and include the derivation of expressed sequence tag data and the development of ancillary technologies such as transfection techniques. No large-scale genomic DNA sequencing projects have been reported.

Animals↗