Review on Eimeria: The Role of Characteristic Lesions as Routine Diagnostic Technique

Abstract

Article Info Coccidiosis is a disease that is caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Eimeria, developing within the intestine of most domestic and wild animals and birds. The disease is distributed worldwide and primarily affects young animals that are raised under various management systems with the infections more severe and more frequent in animals that are raised in intensive systems. Coccidiosis is responsible for major losses due to mortality and primarily to the poor performance of sub clinically infected animals which costs the livestock industry many millions of dollars. Diagnosis and genetic characterization of different species of Eimeria are central to the prevention and control of coccidiosis. This is particularly important with regard to the appearance of a widespread anticoccidial resistance of Eimeria species. In fact Eimeria are very effective parasites, one of the main reasons coccidiosis is still a major problem, is the difficult diagnosis. The classical parasitological methods of diagnosis are labor intensive and therefore costly. Different diagnostic tools such as fecal flotation techniques, morphological identification, molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology and immunology have been used to diagnose coccidiosis. These methods have generally had major limitations in the specific diagnosis of coccidiosis and identification of Eimeria species. The traditional approaches are unreliable, particularly when multiple species of Eimeria simultaneously infect a single host and there is overlap in the size and shape of oocysts. Different studies indicated that species of Emeria are host and site specific and even they cause specific lesions within the specific sites. Therefore accuracy of diagnosis can be achieved with combination of different diagnostic tools including gross and histopathological lesions examinations.

Evaluation of The Efficacy of Oxytetracycline on Experimentally Induced Caprine Coccidiosis Due to Eimeria arloingi Infection.

“…Sixteen kids aged between 4 to 10 weeks were purchased from a market in Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna state, Nigeria. The animals were screened for the presence of coccidian parasites/Eimeria oocysts using simple DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.36380/scil.2020.wvj14 flotation technique (Geremew, 2018). The kids were allowed to acclimatize for seven days and were fed with maize bran, beans, hay and water ad libitum during the experimental period.…”

“…Animals were diagnosed positively infected using simple flotation technique and light microscopy method of detecting oocysts of Eimeria species (Geremew, 2018). Six grams of feces were collected and filtered through a sieve covered with folded gauze from animals positively infected with Eimeria oocysts (Rakhshandehroo et al, 2013).…”

“…Coccidiosis is a protozoan disease caused by members of the genus Eimeria that affect domestic animal species (Geremew, 2018). It is also a disease that causes adverse effects on the general health of various domestic animals.…”

“…It is also a disease that causes adverse effects on the general health of various domestic animals. Acute invasion and destruction of the intestinal mucosa, diarrhea, fever, anorexia, emaciation, weight loss and sometimes death are characteristics of the disease (Geremew, 2018). In goats, coccidiosis is an enteric parasitic disease caused by multiple protozoan parasite species of the genus Eimeria (Engidaw et al, 2015).…”

“…Invasion and destruction of the hosts' intestinal mucosal cells by coccidia could lead to electrolyte loss, poor absorption of nutrients and anemia (Engidaw et al, 2015). Diarrhea is one of the most common clinical symptoms of infection and affected animals can show a rough hair coat, weakness and poor weight gain (Geremew, 2018).…”