Effects of cage contamination with coccidia and salmonella on acute salmonellosis in young chickens

The effects of concurrent cage contamination with Salmonella typhimurium and Eimeria tenella on the establishment of salmonella infection in day-old chickens were investigated. Chickens were divided into five groups: uninfected recipient birds placed in a cage contaminated by donor birds infected with E. tenella and S. typhimurium; E. tenella-infected recipients placed in a cage contaminated by S. typhimurium-infected donors; uninfected recipients placed in a cage contaminated by S. typhimurium-infected donors; E. tenella-infected recipients placed in a cage contaminated by uninfected donors; and uninfected recipients placed in a cage contaminated by uninfected donors. Three identical trials were conducted. Recipient birds were necropsied 4, 7, and 11 days after caging. In the cage where donor birds infected with both organisms had been reared, S. typhimurium counts in feces and number of feces positive for S. typhimurium were significantly (P less than 0.05) greater than those in the other cages on days 0, 4, and 7 after caging. Moreover, in this cage, more chicks died, counts of S. typhimurium in cecal contents were greater, and more birds were positive for S. typhimurium than in the other groups. This suggests that S. typhimurium infection in day-old chickens is enhanced in cages contaminated with E. tenella and S. typhimurium compared with infection in cages contaminated with S. typhimurium alone.     

Dual infections of Eimeria tenella and Escherichia coli in chickens

The interactive effects of Eimeria tenella and Escherichia coli infection in chickens were investigated. Specific pathogen free chickens inoculated orally with E tenella and challenged four days later with E coli via the air sac showed more severe acute septicaemic lesions and subacute serositis than chickens given E coli alone. Moreover, caecal lesions induced by E tenella were more severe in chickens given both E tenella and E coli than in those given E tenella alone. In contrast, oral inoculation of E coli did not result in acute septicaemic lesions or subacute serositis and had no effect on the severity of the caecal lesions caused by E tenella.     

Effect of Eimeria tenella infection on the caecal population of lincomycin-resistant Clostridium perfringens introduced into chickens

The effect of Eimeria tenella infection on the caecal population of lincomycin-resistant Clostridium perfringens (KGW 851) newly introduced into chickens was studied. Four groups of chickens consisted of: (1) Uninoculated controls; (2) inoculated with C perfringens (KGW 851); (3) inoculated with E tenella; and (4) inoculated with C perfringens (KGW 851) followed by E tenella. Five chickens in each group were necropsied on each of days 0, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 14 after the E tenella inoculation. The mean total C perfringens counts in the caecal contents increased at five days after E tenella inoculation and reached maximum counts at seven days after the inoculation. Also lincomycin-resistant C perfringens readily established itself at approximately one 10th of the total C perfringens population in the presence or absence of E tenella infection.     

Factors influencing enhanced Salmonella typhimurium infection in Eimeria tenella-infected chickens

To investigate a possible mechanism involved in the enhancement of Salmonella typhimurium infection in chickens concurrently infected with Eimeria tenella, S typhimurium was given orally to chickens 7 days after E tenella inoculation. The number of viable S typhimurium decreased in the ceca of chickens not inoculated with E tenella, whereas the number gradually increased in the ceca of chickens inoculated with E tenella. Cecal contents were analyzed for pH value, oxidation-reduction potential, and amounts of short-chain fatty acids and bile acids. In the ceca of E tenella-inoculated chickens, the oxidation-reduction potential significantly (P less than 0.05) shifted to the oxidative phase, and the concentration of volatile fatty acids (acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid) significantly (P less than 0.05) decreased. In both aerobic and anaerobic incubations, the number of viable S typhimurium in vitro decreased as the molar concentration of fatty acids increased. Experimental evidence indicated that multiplication of S typhimurium in the ceca of E tenella-inoculated chickens was associated with decreased concentrations of volatile fatty acids.     

Infection by Salmonella typhimurium, S. agona, S. enteritidis or S. infantis of chicks with caecal coccidiosis

Experimental infections of Salmonella typhimurium, S. agona, S. enteritidis or S. infantis were studied in chicks infected with Eimeria tenella. In all experiments, 4-d old birds were given 5 daily oral doses of approximately 10(4) salmonella organisms per bird. One day before this inoculation one group of birds received a single dose, in the range 1 X 10(4) to 4 X 10(4) sporulated oocysts of E. tenella per os whilst the other group was not inoculated and served as the control. Chicks were examined post morten 7, 10 or 14 d after receiving coccidia. With S. typhimurium infection, the number of salmonellas in the caeca of the E. tenella-infected birds was greater than in those infected only with salmonella. With S. agona and S. enteritidis, the counts of salmonella in the caeca and the numbers of birds positive for salmonella in the caeca and liver were greater in the E. tenella-infected birds. The rate of infection of S. infantis was not increased by caecal coccidiosis.     

Effect of reticuloendotheliosis virus on the response of chickens to Salmonella typhimurium infection

Groups of 25 chickens free of maternal antibody to reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) were inoculated with either third or seventh passage REV at either one or seven days of age. Some of the birds inoculated at day 1 with REV were inoculated with Salmonella typhimurium either concurrently or six or 13 days later while some of those inoculated with REV at day 7 were inoculated concurrently with S typhimurium. At day old, infection with S typhimurium alone caused the death of 12 of 25 chicks whereas in the dual infection, using the third passage REV, 18 of 25 birds died. Similarly no seven or 14 day old chickens died when challenged with S typhimurium alone, but previous day-old infection with REV caused a respective mortality of eight of 25 and five of 25 birds. With the seventh passage REV a similar pattern was seen. At day old S typhimurium infection alone killed seven of 25 birds whereas combined with virus the mortality was 14 of 25 and while S typhimurium alone killed none of 25 chicks infected at seven days old, the mortality in birds also infected with REV was 14 of 25. Combined virus and bacterial infections did not increase the proportion of feathering defects in birds surviving S typhimurium infections. There was a significantly higher proportion of feathering defects in birds infected with third passage virus compared with seventh passage virus. Although a higher proportion of birds had antibody responses to REV in the seventh than in the third passage group, there was no discernible difference in the effect the different viruses had on chickens' susceptibility to S typhimurium.     

Adhesion of bacteria to the cecal mucosal surface of conventional and germ-free chickens infected with Eimeria tenella.

When Salmonella typhimurium and Clostridium perfringens were tested in conventional chickens, larger numbers of S typhimurium and C perfringens adhered to Eimeria tenella-infected ceca than to uninfected ceca. In germ-free chickens, S typhimurium and C perfringens adhered to the E tenella-infected cecal mucosa more than to the uninfected cecal mucosa, but fewer Bacteroides vulgatus and Bifidobacterium thermophilum adhered to the E tenella-infected ceca than to the uninfected ceca. Many bacteria adhered to the lesions caused by E tenella as observed by scanning electron microscopy. On the basis of our findings, we suggest that infection with E tenella upsets the balance of competitive adherence of bacteria, allowing more colonization of S typhimurium and C perfringens.     

Oral administration of neomycin to chickens experimentally infected with Salmonella typhimurium.

Groups of healthy chickens with a light experimental Salmonella typhimurium infection were fed on a diet containing 225 g per ton (1016 kg) of neomycin for two days. This brought about only a slight reduction in the incidence of chickens that were excreting S typhimurium in their faeces. Examination of caecal contents two days after the cessation of treatment revealed the neomycin had not had any effect in eliminating infection. In one experiment, the neomycin administration resulted in the emergence of enormous populations of Escherichia coli in the alimentary tract of treated chickens that possessed multiple antibiotic resistance of the transmissible type. For these reasons the practice of feeding broiler chickens on diets containing neomycin immediately before slaughter should be actively discouraged.     

Influence of reticuloendotheliosis on the severity of Eimeria tenella infection in broiler chickens

Broiler chickens free of maternal immunity to reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) were used in the experiment. Two groups of 25 chickens were inoculated with REV at one day of age. One of these groups and another group of 25 chickens were inoculated with Eimeria tenella sporulated oocysts at 7 days of age. Chickens inoculated with E. tenella showed bloody diarrhoea from 12 to 14 days of age. Six out of 25 chickens died (P less than 0.05) at 13 and 14 days of age in the dual infected group. At 14 days of age, when chickens were killed, the lesion score in the combined infection group, was statistically different from that in the chickens inoculated with E. tenella alone. Also the weights of the bursa of Fabricius and thymus were lower in the two REV infected groups than in the controls. Although REV infection alone adversely affected the weight gain and feed conversion, with combined infection this effect was much greater. Following REV inoculation most of the chickens showed feathering defects and all the examined chickens were viraemic at 21 days of age. At the same age, all but one chicken failed to show precipitating antigenaemia and about one-half of these chickens showed a very low serum neutralisation titre. None of these chickens showed precipitating antibodies.     

Protective effects of sugar cane extracts (SCE) on Eimeria tenella infection in chickens

The effects of oral administration of sugar cane extracts (SCE) on Eimeria tenella oocysts infection in chickens were studied with 2 different experiments. In Experiment 1, 3-week-old inbred chickens (MHC; H.B15) were inoculated into the crop with SCE (500 mg/kg/day) for 1 day or 3 consecutive days, and then challenged with E. tenella sporulated oocysts (2 x 10(4) cells/chicken). In Experiment 2, 1-week-old chickens were orally administered SCE at the same dose for 3 consecutive days, and then initially infected with E. tenella sporulated oocysts (2 x 10(3) cells/chicken). At 2 and 3 weeks of age, these chickens were immunized intravenously with the mixed antigens of sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and Brucella abortus (BA). At 4 weeks of age, chickens were challenged with E. tenella sporulated oocysts (1 x 10(5)/chicken). Challenged chickens with E. tenella oocysts showed markedly decreased body weight gain/day, severe hemorrhage and great number of shedding oocysts in feces and high lesion scores. Oral administration of SCE and initial infection with oocysts (2 x 10 (3)/chicken) resulted in a remarkable improvement in body weight gain/day, hemorrhage, the number of shedding oocysts and lesion score, compare to other infected groups. In addition, SCE-inoculated chickens with the initial infection showed a significant increase in antibody responses against SRBC and BA and also improvement in decreased relative proportions of Bu-1a(+) and CD4( )cells in cecal tonsil lymphocytes of E. tenella-challenged chickens. Cecal tissues of chickens administered SCE and initially infected with E. tenella oocysts showed lower numbers of schizonts, gametocytes and oocysts than those of infected control chickens. These results suggest that SCE have immunostimulating and protective effects against E. tenella infection in chickens.     

The extraintestinal stages of Eimeria tenella and E. maxima in the chicken

Donor chickens given feed medicated with one or two levels of decoquinate or given non-medicated feed were infected with oocysts of Eimeria tenella or E. maxima per os. Twelve hours after inoculation with oocysts liver, mid-intestine or ceca homogenates were fed to previously uninfected recipient chickens. The results showed that continuous medication with decoquinate was effective in preventing the transfer of sporozoites from the intestine to the liver. Oocysts were detected in the feces of all recipients of tissue from non-medicated donors, showing that some sporozoites of E. maxima and E. tenella are normally transferred to liver. Young broiler chickens were immunized by oral inoculation of E. maxima oocysts. The immune status of similar chickens inoculated with sporozoites of the same species directly into the liver or spleen were assessed. During the experimental period half of the chicks were provided with non-medicated food and the remainder were given feed supplemented with decoquinate; decoquinate was effective in arresting the development of the sporozoites. Two weeks after initial infection the birds were challenged with oocysts of E. maxima per os. Injection of sporozoites into the spleen did not protect against challenge. Birds inoculated with sporozoites into the liver were unable to develop a significant level of immunity. When the drug pressure was removed from these birds, parasitism of the intestine occurred and immunity developed.     

Coccidiosis: a radiological study of sulphaquinoxaline distribution in infected and uninfected chickens

Using scintillation counting and autoradiographical techniques, the whole-body distribution in week-old uninfected chickens of the anticoccidial agent sulphaquinoxaline (SQ) labelled with ³⁵S was established at various time intervals after a single oral dose either alone or following continuous in-feed medication with unlabelled SQ, and after a single intravenous dose. The distribution was also established in chickens infected with the coccidia Eimeria acervulina or E. tenella , after a single oral dose of radiolabelled SQ administered either alone or following continuous in-feed medication with unlabelled SQ, as for uninfected chicks. In all uninfected chicks, SQ was rapidly absorbed from the gut and was distributed to all tissues. It appeared at high concentrations in the bile and kidneys 0.5 h after dosing. In chickens that had previously received unlabelled SQ in the diet, a radiolabelled dose maintained steadier tissue concentrations than the sharp rise and fall detected after a single oral dose. Intravenous dosing of uninfected chicks showed that SQ was secreted by the crop, gizzard and caecal epithelia into their lumina. Infection with E. acervulina or E. tenella coincided with an overall 3.5-fold sustained increase of SQ concentration in chick tissues. An updated hypothesis including these new observations for the anticoccidial mode of action of SQ in chickens is expounded.     

Effect of dietary supplementation with oregano essential oil on performance of broilers after experimental infection with Eimeria tenella.

A study was carried out to examine the effect of dietary supplementation of oregano essential oil on performance of broiler chickens experimentally infected with Eimeria tenella at 14 days of age. A total of 120 day-old Cobb-500 chicks separated into 4 equal groups with three replicates each, were used in this study. Two groups, one infected with 5 x 10(4) sporulated oocysts of E. tenella and the other not, were given a basal diet and served as controls. The other two groups also infected with E. tenella were administered diets supplemented with oregano essential oil at a level of 300 mg/kg, or with the anticoccidial lasalocid at 75 mg/kg. Following this infection, survival rate, bloody diarrhoea and oocysts excretion as well as lesion score were determined. Throughout the experimental period of 42 days, body weight gain and feed intake were recorded weekly, and feed conversion ratios were calculated. Two weeks after the infection with E. tenella supplementation with dietary oregano oil resulted in body weight gains and feed conversion ratios not differing from the non-infected group, but higher than those of the infected control group and lower than those of the lasalocid group. These parameters correspond with the extent of bloody diarrhoea, survival rate, lesion score and oocyst numbers and indicated that oregano essential oil exerted an anticoccidial effect against E. tenella, which was, however, lower than that exhibited by lasalocid.     

鸡球虫病红细胞免疫功能检测

用柔嫩艾美耳球虫人工感染８日龄雏鸡４０只,感染７日后测定红细胞Ｃ３６花环率和ＩＣ花环率,与健康对照组比,Ｃ３６花环率显著降低（Ｐ〈０．０１）,ＩＣ花环率显著升高（Ｐ〈０．０１）,表明鸡球虫病可引起红细胞免疫功能发生改变。     

Genetic control of immunity to Eimeria tenella. Interaction of MHC genes and non-MHC linked genes influences levels of disease susceptibility in chickens

The relative importance of MHC genes and background genes in the genetic control of disease susceptibility and the development of protective immunity to E. tenella infection was investigated in eight different strains of 15I5-B congenic and four inbred chicken strains. RPRL 15I5-B congenic chickens that share a common genetic background but express different B haplotypes demonstrated wide variations in disease susceptibility and the development of acquired resistance to E. tenella infection. Infection of chickens sharing a common B haplotype but expressing different genetic backgrounds showed quite contrasting levels of susceptibility to secondary E. tenella infection. In all chicken strains examined, infected chickens developed high levels of serum and biliary anti-coccidial antibodies regardless of their B haplotypes. Furthermore, no correlation between antibody levels and the phenotypically expressed levels of disease resistance was demonstrated. These findings lend support to the view that interaction of MHC genes and non-MHC genes influences the outcome of host response to E. tenella infection.     

Blackhead disease (Histomonas meleagridis) aggravated in broiler chickens by concurrent infection with cecal coccidiosis (Eimeria tenella).

The effect of concurrent cecal coccidiosis infections on severity of Histomonas meleagridis (blackhead disease) in chickens was investigated in a series of experiments. Cecal lesions from H. meleagridis were severe in all inoculated control groups and did not appear to be affected by the introduction of Eimeria tenella infection. However, the severity of liver lesions and number of birds positive for liver lesions of H. meleagridis increased significantly with the presence of E. tenella. The increase was similar when 10(3) or 10(4) oocysts of E. tenella were given and was the same when oocysts were given at the same time as H. meleagridis or 4 days prior. The liver lesions increased directly as doses of H. meleagridis increased from 7.5 x 10(3) cells to 30, 100, or 300 x 10(3) when E. tenella was given along with H. melelagridis but not when H. meleagridis was given alone. Administration of a live coccidiosis vaccine containing very low levels of E. tenella also gave a significant boost to liver lesions but at a much lower level than that observed with larger doses of E. tenella. The positive relationship between infections of cecal coccidiosis and H. meleagridis in chickens suggests that such dual exposure may contribute to increased clinical outbreaks of blackhead disease in chickens under field conditions.     

柔嫩艾美尔球虫感染对鸡的若干生理生化指标的影响

以74只33日龄蛋公鸡作为试验对象,随机分成感染组(n=37)和对照组(n=37)。感染组每只口服接种1.5×10~5个柔嫩艾美尔球虫孢子化卵囊,分别于感染前(0d)和感染后(2,4,6,8d)将鸡处死,颈静脉采血,研究球虫感染对鸡生理生化指标的影响。结果表明柔嫩艾美尔球虫感染后鸡红细胞数、白细胞数、血红蛋白含量、血清中葡萄糖含量显著减少,血清钾含量显著升高,血清钠、血清钙、氯化物、无机磷都显著降低。血清镁含量也降低,但与对照组相比无统计学差异。     

柔嫩艾美耳球虫扬州分离株对8种抗球虫药的抗药性

将柔嫩艾美耳球虫(Eimeria tenella)扬州分离株感染14日龄苏禽黄羽肉鸡,设立8个用药组、1个感染不用药对照组和1个不感染不用药对照组,以相对卵囊产量、病变记分减少率、最适抗球虫百分数和抗球虫指数为指标对该虫株对盐霉素、马杜拉霉素、球痢灵、氯羟吡啶、氨丙啉、尼卡巴嗪、甲基三嗪酮、地克珠利等8种常用抗球虫药的抗药性进行了综合评定,分析了该地区球虫的抗药性及对策。结果表明,该虫株对甲基三嗪酮敏感,对氨丙啉具有中度抗药性,对盐霉素、马杜拉霉素、球痢灵、氯羟吡啶、尼卡巴嗪、地克珠利等其他6种药物具有完全抗药性。提示目前在扬州地区甲基三嗪酮抗球虫疗效最好,氨丙琳效果稍差,应合理使用,盐霉素等其他6种药物应慎用、减少或暂停使用。     

Biological control of Salmonella typhimurium in young chickens

The effect of dietary lactose and anaerobic cultures of cecal microflora of mature chickens on the colonization of young broiler chickens by Salmonella typhimurium was evaluated. Newly hatched chicks were given either no treatment (controls), anaerobic cecal cultures, lactose (2.5%) in the drinking water, or both anaerobic cultures and lactose. Chicks were challenged per os at 3 days of age with either 10(6) or 10(8) S. typhimurium resistant to nalidixic acid and novobiocin. On day 10, the cecal contents of the chicks were examined for S. typhimurium, pH, short-chained volatile fatty acids (VFAs), undissociated VFAs, and lactic acid. Chicks given either lactose alone or cecal anaerobes alone had significantly (P less than 0.05) fewer S. typhimurium recovered from their ceca than the controls. Chicks given the combination of dietary lactose and cecal anaerobes had significantly fewer S. typhimurium recovered from their ceca than the chicks given dietary lactose or cecal anaerobes alone. Chicks given lactose had significant (P less than 0.05) increases in the lactic acid concentration of their cecal contents. Increased lactic acid concentrations were directly correlated to decreased cecal pH values and caused a reduction in the total concentration of VFAs but a significant (P less than 0.05) increase in the undissociated form of some VFAs.     

不同品种地方鸡对柔嫩艾美球虫的易感性分析

按每只鸡12×10~4个孢子化卵囊的剂量,分别感染20日龄大骨鸡、鹿苑鸡、油鸡和固始鸡,以存活率、相对增重率、血便扣分、病变扣分、卵囊扣分和抗球虫指数为评价指标,分析比较4个地方品种鸡对柔嫩艾美球虫的易感性。试验重复1次。结果显示,4个地方品种鸡对柔嫩艾美球虫的易感性不同。固始鸡对柔嫩艾美球虫易感性最高,表现为感染后的死亡率最高,病变扣分最多,抗球虫指数也最低。油鸡对柔嫩艾美球虫的易感性最低,表现为感染后的死亡率为零,病变扣分和血粪扣分最少,每鸡平均排卵囊数最少,抗球虫指数最高。大骨鸡和鹿苑鸡对柔嫩艾美球虫的易感性相近,位于固始鸡与油鸡之间。