Evaluation of the Interaction of Eimeria meleagrimitis with Hemorrhagic Enteritis Virus or Marble Spleen Disease Virus in Turkeys

Abstract

The interaction of Eimeria meleagrimitis with hemorrhagic enteritis virus (HEV) or marble spleen disease virus (MSDV) was studied in 4-week-old female turkeys. Birds given either virus in combination with the coccidia showed greater weight gain than did birds given HEV alone. A combination of MSDV and E. meleagrimitis resulted in significantly lower oocyst production when oocysts were counted from individual birds. Levels of serum glucose, serum albumin, and total protein were reduced in birds given HEV either alone or in combination with E. meleagrimitis. Birds receiving E. meleagrimitis alone or in combination with either MSDV or HEV exhibited higher blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels than birds in all other treatments. Birds receiving HEV or the combination of E. meleagrimitis and either HEV or MSDV had significantly lower serum triglycerides and cholesterol. Serum amylase was lower in poults receiving HEV alone or combined with E. meleagrimitis, and serum alkaline phosphatase was lower in the HEV-only treatment.

The effect of concurrent infections of haemorrhagic enteritis virus or marble spleen disease virus andEimeria meleagrimitisin turkeys

“…This coincides with the observation of Norton et al (1993), where birds receiving EM with HEV experienced an amelioration of the weight loss which occurred in birds receiving HEV alone. This trend was also seen in the antigen titre in which there was a numerical drop in both the mean titre and the percentage of responders.…”

“…Previous work in this laboratory has indicated that 4-week-old poults have lost maternal antibody and are susceptible to challenge. The experimental procedure has been described in detail (Norton et al, 1993) and therefore only the essential points are given here.…”

“…Birds were given 1 ml per os of the challenge inoculum, produced according to the method of Norton et al (1993). …”

“…In an earlier paper Norton et al (1993) reported some effects from concurrent infections of either marble spleen disease virus (MSDV) or haemorrhagic enteritis virus (HEV) and E. meleagrimitis (EM) in turkeys. This species of coccidia is highly pathogenic for turkeys and targets the duodenum and upper jejunum.…”

“…In the earlier paper by Norton et al (1993) birds given a combination of EM and HEV had greater weight gains than those given HEV alone, causing the authors to speculate that coccidia may cause a loss of viable intestinal cells which might also be serving as host cells to the virus, thereby attenuating pathogenesis. In this paper the effects of concurrent infections of MSDV or HEV and EM on spleen index, bursa to gain ratio, virus antigen titre, percentage of responders (birds with a mean antigen titre to either virus of 3 or greater) and histopathology are reported.…”