Avian

Coccidiosis

“Belize Poultry Production School”

Spanish Lookout. November 4, 2014

Orange Walk Town. November 5, 2014

Miguel A. Márquez

ASA/USSEC

Parasitism

Relationship in which one organism (the

parasite) lives inside or outside of

another organism (the host).

Gets food and benefit for its growth and

reproduction, causing injury and death!

Parasites:

Prions, viruses, bacteria

bacteriophages, fungus,

protozoa, roundwoms,

flatworms, mites, lice, fleas,

ticks, mosquitoes, etc.

They have an incomplete

genetical constitution,

therefore they require a host

to supply them, what they can

not supply for themselves

Some parasites require more

than one host to complete its

life cycle.

The asexual cycle occurs in a

host and the sexual cycle, in

a second and even in a third

host

Origin and evolution of life on

Earth

Emergence and developing of

infectious diseases

Protozoa

Microscopic parasites of

animals and man

Universal and economically

important diseases

Eimerias (intestine)

Toxoplasmas (intestine)

Plasmodium (hemoparasite)

Cryposporidium (intestine,

respiratory tract)

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Protozoa

Class: Apicomplexa

Order: Sporozoa

Family: Eimeriidae

Genus: Eimeria

Species:

tenella, necatrix, maxima,

acervulina, mitis, brunetti, mivati

praecox, hagani

Raillet & Lucet, 1891

Simond, 1897

Wasielevski, 1904

Hadley, 1911

Tyzzer, 1929

Lapage, 1940

Levine, 1942

Reid & Johnson, 1968

(77 years)

Coccidiosis

Ubiquitous (New chicken house syndrome)

Worldwide Distribution

Specific host

Rapid diffusion

Destroy intestinal epithelia

High morbidity

Variable Mortality

Constant threat to poultry industry

Effects in Production

Reduces:

Weight gain

Feed efficiency

Pigmentation

Increases:

Condemnations

Mortality

Nine avian Eimerias

Eimeria acervulina

Eimeria brunetti

Eimeria hagani

Eimeria maxima

Eimeria mivati

Eimeria mitis

Eimeria necatrix

Eimeria praecox

Eimeria tenella

Pathogenicity

Species of economic importance

E. acervulina

E. maxima

E. tenella

E. necatrix (common in breeder pullets)

Differential characteristics

Affected area in the intestine

Gross lesions in the intestine

Oocyst morphology

Schizont size / Size of gamete

Location of the parasite within the tissue

Sporulation time

Prepatent time

Predisposing Factors

High density per square meter (agglomeration)

Type of litter

Improper handling of litter

Chick quality

Microbism/Challenge

Immune status of the flock

Sanitary/resting time between flocks

Inadequate concentration of coccidiostat

Poor mixing of coccidiostat

Diagnosis

Intestinal area affected (gross lesions)

Microscopic examination of scrapings

of intestinal mucosa

Analysis of production parameters

Examination of the feed

ppm of coccidiostat (concentration)

Differential diagnosis

Reovirus, arenavirus, astrovirus, enterovirus

= Malabsorption Syndrome

Mycotoxicoses: aflatoxins, fusariotoxins,

ocratoxins

Necrotic Enteritis (C. perfringens, C. welchi)

Ascaridiases (Ascaridia galli)

Histomoniases (H. meleagridis in turkeys)

Salmonelloses/Colibaciloses

Mycobacterium avium/Tuberculosis

Predisposing factors

Newcastle Disease

Infectious Bronchitis

Mycoplasmoses

Ascitis

Lameness

Immunosuppressive factors

Infectious Bursal Disease (Gumboro)

Mycotoxins

Marek´s Disease

Control Methods

Handling, cleaning,disinfection

Biosecurity

Anticoccidial drugs

Vaccines

Cleaning/Disinfection/

Biosecurity

Do not eliminate the challenge, or

prevent infection

Only reduce!

Has an impact on the viability and

number of oocysts

Anticoccidial agents

Chemicals

Ionophores

Combinations

Chemicals

Used for prevention and treatment

Highly potent vs. susceptible strains

They act in different phases of the life

cycle

Absorbed or not absorbed in the

intestinal tract

Develop resistance rapidly generated

Allow limited development of immunity

Chemicals Nicarbazin

Toltrazuril

Diclazuril

Robenidin

Halofuginone

Clopidol

Amprolium

Zoalene

Sulfonamides

Ionophores

Used only in preventing

Act mainly 1st. phase of the cycle

Active against extracellular forms

Are not absorbed in the intestine

or very limited absorption

Less powerful than the chemical

Ionophores

Generate less resistance

Allow induction of immunity

They differ in spectrum of activity

Administered in feed

They tend to reduce feed intake

Ionophores

Salinomycin

Semduramicin

Lasalocid

Monensin

Maduramycin

Narasin

Combinations

Synergistic effects

Lowest effective dose

Examples:

Narasin + Nicarbazin

Nicarbazin + Maduramycin

Nicarbazin + Monensin

Clopidol + Methyl benzoquate

Coccidial resistance

There is no a clear definition of

resistance

There are not standard evaluation

methods

Primary drug resistance

Cross resistance

Multiple cross-resistance

Mimicry

Resistance mechanisms

Related to the form of action of the

drug

Chromosomal origin

Higher selection pressure faster

development of resistance

Higher doses faster resistance

Type of programes

Direct

Shuttle:

Chemical-ionophore

Ionophore-chemical

Ionophore-ionophore

Chemical-chemical

Without the development and

use of anticoccidial drugs global

poultry industry as currently

conceived, would be impossible

to exist.

We have to take care of these

molecules!

They are all we have!

Eggs, broiler & poultry meat,

the animal proteins that

Mankind is consuming and

will consume in the Twenty-

first century

Thank you very much!

American Soybean Association

(ASA)

United States Soybean Export Council

(USSEC)

drmiguelmarquez42@hotmail.com