Assessment of dietary supplementation with probiotics on performance, intestinal morphology and microflora of chickens infected with Eimeria tenella

We evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation with different preparations of probiotics on the performance of broiler chickens experimentally infected with 2 × 10(4) sporulated oocysts of Eimeria tenella at 14 days of age. Three hundred, day-old, Cobb-500 chicks, as hatched, were separated into 10 equal groups with three replicates. Two of the groups, one challenged with E. tenella oocysts and the other not, were given a basal diet and served as controls without medication. The other challenged groups were given the anticoccidial lasalocid (60 mg/kg) or Enterococcus faecium (5 × 10(8) or 5 × 10(9)cfu/kg feed), Bifidobacterium animalis (5 × 10(8)cfu/kg feed), Lactobacillus reuteri (5 × 10(8)cfu/kg feed), Bacillus subtilis (5 × 10(8)cfu/kg feed), or a multi-species probiotic mix at 5 × 10(8) or 5 × 10(9)cfu/kg feed, respectively. The trial lasted 6 weeks. Individual body weight, feed intake per pen and feed conversion ratio values were recorded weekly, along with the extent of bloody diarrhea, excreta oocyst numbers and bird mortality. Caecal lesions were assessed and intestinal samples were taken for histopathological and bacteriological evaluation from ileum and caecum. Overall growth performance of chickens fed the multi-species probiotic mix at both levels was higher (P<0.05) compared to the infected control. Overall oocyst shedding was lowest (P<0.05) in the lasalocid supplemented group. Villous height was higher (P<0.05) in Bacillus supplemented groups compared to infected controls. The Lactobacillus supplemented group had the highest (P<0.05) numbers of both Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in ileum and caecum. In conclusion, dietary probiotics are promising for further investigation on improving intestinal health and growth performance of broiler chickens experimentally challenged with E. tenella.     

青蒿散抗鸡球虫药效研究

为探讨青蒿散对鸡柔嫩艾美耳球虫（E.tenella）的防治效果,本试验选取90只健康黄羽肉鸡,分为6组,除空白对照组外,其余各组（感染对照组、药物对照组及青蒿散低、中、高剂量组）试验鸡均经口感染6×10⁴个柔嫩艾美耳球虫孢子化卵囊,各试验组在接种前一天开始用药至试验结束。记录各组试验鸡的眼观病变、组织病理学检查、相对增重率、盲肠病变记分、血便记分、每克粪便中的卵囊数（OPG）、卵囊值及抗球虫指数（ACI）指标,评价青蒿散不同给药浓度的抗球虫效果。结果显示,空白对照组、感染对照组、药物对照组及青蒿散低、中、高剂量组的抗球虫指数分别为200.00、72.23、157.19、82.89、125.32和137.06,与感染对照组相比,药物对照组和青蒿散各剂量组的眼观病变、组织病理学检查均有所缓解,青蒿散能减轻病鸡盲肠的肿胀和出血等症状,且病鸡精神状态较感染对照组好;与感染对照组相比,各给药组的平均增重均有所升高,盲肠病变、卵囊值及血便情况减少。综上所述,青蒿散能缓解柔嫩艾美耳球虫侵染鸡盲肠所致的病理症状和组织病变,减少粪便中卵囊的排出数量,有一定的抗球虫效果,且给药浓度越高抗球虫效果越好,具有剂量依赖性。     

纳川珠利对鸡柔嫩艾美耳球虫病的防治效果研究

以存活率、相对增重率、血便计分、病变值、卵囊值和抗球虫活性指数(Anticoccidial index,ACI)为药效评判指数,考察了新三嗪类化合物纳川珠利对人工感染的鸡柔嫩艾美耳球虫病的预防和治疗效果.结果显示,纳川珠利对鸡柔嫩艾美耳球虫病有良好的防治效果,ACI值均属高效范围,有望开发为新的抗球虫药物.     

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.     

Role of oregano and Citrus species-based essential oil preparation for the control of coccidiosis in broiler chickens

Background: Due to presence of drug-resistant Eimeria strains and raised public health safety concerns about drug residues in the meat, there is renewed interest in the search for natural alternatives to the coccidiosis control agents. This study was conducted to test the anticoccidial efficacy of oregano and Citrus spp.-based essential oils for broilers.Methods: A total of 280 7-day-old broiler chicks were fed a control diet or diets with salinomycin or essential oils for up to 35 d of age. On d 14, half of the control groups and the treated groups were orally challenged with a coccidiosis vaccine at 25 times higher than the recommended vaccine dose. Control diet-fed chickens that were gavaged with phosphate-buffered saline were considered non-challenged control group.Results: Eimeria challenge or dietary additives failed to affect growth performance during the 7 to 20 d growth period although essential oil-fed chickens exhibited the lowest body wight gain(P = 0.332) and the highest feed conversion ratio(P = 0.062). Oocysts in the litter were detected in the challenged control diet group and the challenged/essential oil-fed groups at 21 and 35 d, respectively. Superoxide dismutase activity in the serum was elevated(P = 0.059) in the salinomycin-fed chickens compared to the challenged controls. Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein was decreased by 28.7% in the salinomycin-fed chickens but increased by 38.1% in the essential oil group compared with the challenged control group. Challenged control group exhibited a significantly higher cooking loss of the thigh meat, compared to the non-challenged control diet group, which was marginally mitigated by dietary supplementation with essential oils. Chickens fed essential oil-added diet had the highest branched-chain fatty acids contents in the cecum.Conclusions: In conclusion, this study shows that oregano and Citrus-based essential oil preparation did not affect growth performance in broiler chickens challenged with the coccidiosis vaccine nor did Eimeria-specific duodenal lesion. However, dietary essential oil preparation lowered oocysts present in litter materials and altered branchedchain fatty acids in cecal digesta. Beneficial findings of the essential oil preparation on volatile fatty acids and oocysts output may warrant further research into assessing its effectiveness and its efficacy in pathogenic fieldisolate Eimeria spp.-induced coccidiosis disease model.     

柔嫩艾美球虫常州株对5种抗球虫药的抗药性分析

将柔嫩艾美耳球虫(E.tenella)常州分离株感染14日龄苏禽黄羽肉鸡,设立5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球虫宁、地克珠利、马杜霉素、磺胺氯吡嗪、癸氧喹酯5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用药对策。结果表明,该虫株对癸氧喹酯敏感,对球虫宁、地克珠利、马杜霉素、磺胺氯吡嗪具有完全抗药性,提示目前常州地区球虫抗药性非常严重,癸氧喹酯抗球虫疗效最好,其他药物应合理使用、应慎用、减少或暂停使用。     

Studies on the stage of action of lasalocid against Eimeria tenella and Eimeria acervulina in the chicken

Broiler chickens in battery pens were either fed a diet containing 100 ppm lasalocid or no drug for 24 h prior to inoculation with sporulated oocysts of Eimeria tenella or Eimeria acervulina. Different groups of birds remained on medicated feed for 24, 48, 72, 96, 120 or 144 h after inoculation. Conversely, other groups started on an unmedicated diet, were given medicated feed at different times after oocyst inoculation. Starting lasalocid medication 24 h (E. tenella) or 48 h (E. acervulina) after inoculation reduced the lesions and improved the weight gain. There was no significant difference in performance of birds after withdrawal of the drug at 48 h (E. tenella) or 72 h (E. acervulina) and thereafter. Starting lasalocid medication at 96 or 120 h did not suppress but rather reduced oocyst production.     

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。     

Isolation and selection of ionophore-tolerant Eimeria precocious lines: E. tenella, E. maxima and E. acervulina

Eimeria parasites were isolated from Nanhai Guangdong province (southern China) and studied in chickens in wire cages to evaluate their drug resistance against commonly used ionophores: monensin (100 mg/kg of feed), lasolacid (90 mg/kg), salinomycin (60 mg/kg), maduramicin (5 mg/kg) and semduramicin (25 mg/kg). Chinese Yellow Broiler Chickens were infected with 40,000 crude sporulated Eimeria oocysts at 15 days of age and prophylactic medication commenced a day prior to infection. Drug resistance was assessed for each ionophore drug by calculating the anticoccidial index (ACI) and percentage optimum anticoccidial activity (POAA) based on relative weight gain, rate of oocyst production and lesion values. Results revealed that Nanhai Eimeria oocysts comprising of E. tenella, E. maxima and E. acervulina, were resistant to monensin, sensitive to both salinomycin and lasolacid and partially sensitive to maduramicin and semduramicin. By selection for early development of oocysts during passage through chickens, the prepatent time of E. tenella, E. maxima and E. acervulina were reduced by 49, 36 and 22 h, respectively. The precocious lines are less pathogenic than the parent strains from which they were selected and conferred a satisfactory protection for chickens against coccidiosis. These ionophore-tolerant precocious lines could have wider applications in the development of anticoccidial vaccines for sustainable control of coccidiosis.     

Screening of the anticoccidial effects of herb extracts against Eimeria tenella

Ionophorous antibiotics have been popularly used in the treatment of avian coccidiosis. Tissue residue of these antibiotics may be found in poultry, we have sought safe alternative anticoccidial herbal materials for the control of avian coccidiosis. Efficacy of extracts from 15 different herbs, including Bupleurum chinese DC, Sophora flavescens Aiton, and Artemisia annua Linne was tested against Eimeria tenella. One-day-old broiler chicks were infected with a USDA reference book of E. tenella, and administered various herbal extracts.Survival rates, lesion scores, body weight gains, bloody diarrhea, and oocysts excretions were investigated at the first and the second week after infection. Bloody diarrhea in the S. flavescens and Sinomenium acutum treated groups was milder than that of the other infected groups. Survival rates in the groups treated with Ulmus macrocarpa (100%), Pulsatilla koreana, Torilis japonica, Artemisia asiatica and S. flavescens (90%) were higher than that of the infected control group (70%). Lesion scores in the groups treated with U. macrocarpa (1.40+/-1.14) or Pulsatilla koreana (1.60+/-1.82) were significantly lower than those of the infected control group (3.00+/-1.10). During the first week after infection, the weight gains in the groups treated with Quisqualis indica (232.9+/-43.5 g), S. flavescens (214.4+/-46.1 g) and S. acutum (211.3+/-29.4 g) were significantly higher than the infected control group (172.4+/-17.6 g).In conclusion, the data of the survival rates, bloody diarrhea symptoms, lesion scores, body weight gains and oocyst excretions indicate that the extract of S. flavescens was the most effective. P. koreana, S. acutum, U. macrocarpa and Q. indica were also effective. Further research on the above herbal materials will be carried out by the authors by chemical analysis of the extracts.     

三株柔嫩艾美球虫野外分离株的致病性分析

用每鸡4×104和8×104个孢子化卵囊的剂量感染黄羽肉雏,以临床症状、肉眼病变、平均增重、病变记分和死亡率为判定指标,对柔嫩艾美球虫EtCZ-1、EtCZ-2、EtCZ-3株的致病性进行了比较分析。结果显示:各虫株引起的临床症状和肠道肉眼病变基本相似,致病性随着感染剂量的增加而增强。各感染组的增重与对照组相比均有显著差异(P<0.50),相对增重率分别下降了74.4%～83.2%、68.7%～72.2%和70.6%～74.4%;感染后鸡出现血便的时间较一致,即第108小时开始排血便,在120h～144h达高峰;病变值和卵囊值均随着感染剂量的增加而增大;除EtCZ-1株高剂量组的存活率是90%以外,其余各组均为100%。显示3株球虫的致病性相似。     

Drug resistance in coccidia: a robenidine-resistant strain of eimeria tenella.

Tests for resistance to a recently introduced anticoccidial drug, robenidine, were performed on a strain of Eimeria tenella recovered from broiler chickens infected with acute cecal coccidiosis. The strain was identified previously and again confirmed by the timing of mortality of the infected chickens (five to six days postinfection), the appearance of lesions and parasites in ceca only, and the measurements (21.6 +/- 1.9 micron X 19.8 +/- 2.4 micron) of the oocysts. The tests showed that the strain of E. tenella could establish infections in chickens medicated with fourfold the recommended level of robenidine in feed but no oocysts could be recovered from the feces of infected chickens when the level of drug was increased to eightfold. The decrease in mortality, in the severity of lesions and oocyst output and the increase in the average weight gain of infected chickens followed closely the increase in the level of robenidine in feed. In contrast, no infections were found in chickens infected with a sensitive strain of E. tenella and maintained on feed mixed with the recommended level of robenidine. This and other findings discussed here show that resistance to robenidine is developing in coccidia commonly found in broiler houses.     

Effects of Artemisia annua and Foeniculum vulgare on chickens highly infected with Eimeria tenella (Phylum Apicomplexa)

Background

Intensive poultry production systems depend on chemoprophylaxis with anticoccidial drugs to combat infection. A floor-pen study was conducted to evaluate the anticoccidial effect of Artemisia annua and Foeniculum vulgare on Eimeria tenella infection. Five experimental groups were established: negative control (untreated, unchallenged); positive control (untreated, challenged); a group medicated with 125 ppm lasalocid and challenged; a group medicated with A. annua leaf powder at 1.5% in feed and challenged; and a group treated with the mixed oils of A. annua and Foeniculum vulgare in equal parts, 7.5% in water and challenged. The effects of A. annua and oil extract of A. annua + F. vulgare on E. tenella infection were assessed by clinical signs, mortality, fecal oocyst output, faeces, lesion score, weight gain, and feed conversion.

Results

Clinical signs were noticed only in three chickens from the lasalocid group, six from the A. annua group, and nine from the A. annua + F. vulgare group, but were present in 19 infected chickens from the positive control group. Bloody diarrhea was registered in only two chickens from A. annua group, but in 17 chickens from the positive control group. Mortality also occurred in the positive control group (7/20). Chickens treated with A. annua had a significant reduction in faecal oocysts (95.6%; P = 0.027) and in lesion score (56.3%; P = 0.005) when compared to the positive control. At the end of experiment, chickens treated with A. annua leaf powder had the highest body weight gain (68.2 g/day), after the negative control group, and the best feed conversion (1.85) among all experimental groups.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that A. annua leaf powder (Aa-p), at 1.5% of the daily diet post-infection, can be a valuable alternative for synthetic coccidiostats, such as lasalocid.     

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。     

Anticoccidial effects of xanthohumol

Xanthohumol (XN), a prenylated chalcone from the hops flower, was examined for its ability to reduce invasion of Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells by Eimeria tenella sporozoites (SZ), as well as to reduce invasion by E. tenella and E. acervulina SZ in the chick host. Additionally, XN was tested as an anticoccidial feed additive at 20 ppm against challenge infections with E. acervulina, E. maxima, and E. tenella. Cell invasion by E. tenella SZ was inhibited 66% by treatment of SZ with 22 ppm XN. This inhibition was associated with an apparent physical disruption of the apical ends of the SZ. Rectal challenges with E. tenella SZ treated with 5, 10, and 20 ppm XN resulted in significantly reduced gross-lesion scores and normal chick-host weight gains compared with challenge with untreated SZ. Oral challenges with similarly treated E. acervulina SZ, accomplished with prior antacid treatment, resulted in significantly reduced gross lesions and reduced oocyst shedding compared with challenge with untreated SZ and were associated with physical disruption of sporozoite morphology. In a pilot test, provision of feed supplemented with 20 ppm XN for 3 days before challenge to 6 days after challenge did not control challenge infections with E. acervulina, E. maxima, or E. tenella as judged by measurements of weight gain, feed conversion, and gross lesions. Although XN-fed chicks infected with E. acervulina and E. maxima shed fewer oocysts than those on control feed, the differences in numbers were not statistically significant (P > 0.05).     

Response of 21 Canadian field isolates of chicken coccidia to commercial anticoccidial drugs

Coccidia were isolated from 30 broiler farms in major poultry-producing provinces of Canada; 21 mixed-species isolates were tested for sensitivity to anticoccidial drugs. Eimeria acervulina was identified in 20 samples, E. maxima in 15, and E. tenella in 10 of the mixed-species isolates. On the basis of weight gain after infection, 3 isolates were judged sensitive to amprolium, 5 to monensin, 9 to salinomycin, 14 to lasalocid, 19 to halofuginone, and 20 to nicarbazin. Similar trends in sensitivity/tolerance were identified from the percent reduction of intestinal lesion scores of medicated birds compared with scores of unmedicated, infected controls. These results were consistent with the previous pattern of use of anticoccidial drugs in commercial poultry in Canada.     

Relative value of oocyst counts in evaluating anticoccidial activity.

Birds medicated with roxarsone and in another experiment with zoalene in the feed produced higher oocysts counts than unmedicated control birds receiving the same oocyst dose of Eimeria tenella or a mixture of six species (E. tenella, E. necatrix, E. brunetti, E. maxima, E. acervulina, and E. mitvati). These experiments confirm the conclusion that oocyst counts constitute an unsatisfactory and unreliable parameter for judging effectiveness of an anticoccidial even though such increases are a relatively rare occurrence in anticoccidial evaluation experiments.     

抗球虫中药方剂对柔嫩艾美尔球虫感染鸡的疗效研究

为研究中药方剂对鸡感染柔嫩艾美尔球虫的疗效,试验将80只AA肉鸡随机分为4组,除空白对照外,其余各组经口感染混合孢子化球虫卵囊;第3组按5%剂量拌料添加中药,第4组按0.06%的比例拌料添加磺胺氯吡嗪钠。试验中药方剂抗球虫指数(ACI)为167.4,属中效抗球虫药。结果表明,该中药方剂可以用于鸡球虫病的防治。     

Isolation, propagation, identification and comparative pathogenicity of five Egyptian field strains of Eimeria tenella from broiler chickens in five different provinces in Egypt

A battery trial was conducted to evaluate the comparative pathogenicity of five field strains of Eimeria tenella from Behera, Khafr El-Sheikh, Alexandria, Gharbia and Matrouh provinces in Egypt. Two-week-old broiler chickens were infected with 25×10(3) sporulated oocysts of each strain of E. tenella. The comparative pathogenicity of the strains was assessed by calculating body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, lesion scores, dropping nature scores, cecal scrapings, mortality percentage and oocysts count. Hematological parameters including hemoglobin (Hb) content, packed cell volume (PCV%) and total erythrocytic count, were also evaluated. There were different degrees of pathogenicity between the strains.