Anticoccidial drugs of the livestock industry

Abstract

Coccidiosis is a parasitic disease of a wide variety of animals caused by coccidian protozoa. The coccidia are responsible for major economic losses of the livestock industry. For example, the annual cost due to coccidiosis to the global poultry industry has been estimated to exceed US$ 3 billion annually. Currently available drugs for the control of this disease are either polyether ionophorous antibiotics that are derived from fermentation products, or synthetic compounds, produced by chemical synthesis. Unfortunately, no new drugs in either category have been approved for use for decades. Resistance has been documented for all those of the drugs currently employed and therefore the discovery of novel drugs with unique modes of action is imperative if chemotherapy is to remain the principal means to control this disease. This chapter aims to give an overview of the efficacy and mode of action of the current compounds used to control coccidiosis in livestock and provides a brief outlook of research needs for the future.

Modulation of the intestinal microbiota of broilers supplemented with monensin or functional oils in response to challenge by Eimeria spp.

“…Ionophores have been the main choice of drug for controlling coccidiosis. Monensin is an ionophore that forms fat-soluble complexes with sodium and potassium, causing increased permeability of the coccidial membrane, which leads to toxic effects and death due to depletion of cellular energy [6]. This mechanism also occurs in bacteria and may explain some of the changes seen in the intestinal microbiota, although there are limited studies that relate the use of monensin to its impact on the microbiota.…”

Association Analysis of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the 5′ Regulatory Region of the IL-6 Gene with Eimeria tenella Resistance in Jinghai Yellow Chickens

“…Coccidiosis is one of the intestinal parasitic diseases caused by the genus Eimeria , which seriously affects poultry production and animal welfare [1,2]. There are currently at least seven species of Eimeria found in chickens, among which the E. tenella parasite in the cecum is most common, mainly characterized by cecal epithelium hemorrhage and bloody stools [3,4]. So far, coccidiostats, live vaccines and strict hygiene control are the main measures to prevent coccidiosis in poultry production [5].…”

The Efficacy of Salinomycin Against Experimentally Infected Broiler Chickens with Field Isolates of <i>Eimeria tenella</i> in Khartoum State, Sudan

“…In the overall, it is well known that ionophores have been the first choice to control coccidiosis due to the slow development of resistance. This in addition to the fact that they do not completely suppress parasite growth and subsequently allowing the establishment of host immunity [3]. Although the anticoccidial salinomycin used in this study reduced the negative impact of coccidiosis caused by E. tenella, it is noteworthy that drug resistance still raises a great concern.…”

“…Modern poultry industry has made big strides and become an important part of economic activity in many countries [1] However, the industry is exposed to high economic losses caused by coccidiosis, a disease of poultry worldwide induced by protozoan parasites of genus Eimeria [2] The global annual cost due to coccidiosis has been recently estimated to exceed 3 billion US$ [3]. Costs are largely ascribed to decreased flock performance, prophylactic medication protocols, as well as the intercurrent infections such as necrotic enteritis [4,5].…”