Dose-response effects of diclazuril against pathogenic species of ovine coccidia and the development of protective immunity

Twin lambs at pasture with their ewes, were divided into seven groups of 10 lambs. One group of 10 lambs served as a non-infected, untreated control. Five groups of 10 lambs were infected with 10,000 oocysts of Eimeria crandallis and 10,000 oocysts of Eimeria ovinoidalis when they were 3 weeks old (day 21 of the study). This produced a good level of infection with high oocysts production and diarrhoea in the lambs. Fourteen days after the primary, artificial challenge (day 35) four of these groups were treated with oral diclazuril at 0.25, 1.0, 2.0 or 4.0mg/kg. Diclazuril treatment was highly effective, dramatically reducing symptoms of diarrhoea and reducing faecal oocyst output by 79.7%, 97.3%, 99.4% and 99.5% respectively in the treated groups within four days. Two weeks post-treatment, and 28 days after the primary coccidial challenge (day 49 of the study), five groups of lambs were re-challenged with 100,000 oocysts of E. crandallis and 100,000 oocysts of E. ovinoidalis (secondary challenge). A group of lambs which had received neither the primary coccidia infection, nor drug treatment (susceptible controls) were also given the secondary challenge. All lambs given the secondary challenge produced high numbers of coccidia and exhibited varying degrees of diarrhoeic faeces. The lambs, which had previously received the higher doses of diclazuril at 2.0 and 4.0mg/kg, developed clinical signs of coccidiosis. These lambs were completely susceptible despite having received the early primary immunising infection of coccidia on day 21. The effects of the secondary challenge were more severe in the groups dosed with the two highest levels of diclazuril than in the susceptible control lambs, which had presumably been exposed to continued low levels of pasture contamination and had acquired a limited degree of immunity from this exposure. It would appear that treatment at the higher dose levels not only eliminated most of the oocysts from the primary challenge but also adventitious infection derived from the grazing paddocks. In contrast, lambs which had received the two lower drug levels of diclazuril (0.25 and 1.0mg/kg) whilst producing large numbers of oocysts, had only transient diarrhoea following secondary challenge. It was concluded that when used as a metaphylactic treatment, diclazuril works rapidly and is effective within four days of administration. Overall, a single dose of diclazuril at either 0.25-1.0mg/kg appears to be highly effective in the control of coccidiosis in young lambs at pasture whilst allowing the development of protective immunity against subsequent heavy coccidia challenge.     

Effects of leucocyte extract, levamisole and sulphadimidine on natural coccidial infections (Eimeria spp.) in young lambs

The efficacy of leucocyte extract (LE) and sulphadimidine in preventing coccidiosis in naturally infected lambs on pasture was evaluated in 3 separate experiments, whereas the prophylactic effect of levamisole was studied in 1 of the experiments. LE prepared from ewes immune to coccidia (Eimeria spp.) was administered either intravenously or intraperitoneally to young lambs 7, 5, or 2 days before they were turned out on pastures contaminated with coccidia. In all experiments, LE failed to transfer protective immunity to the lambs against the first coccidial infection on pasture. The LE preparations used apparently had an immunosuppressive effect, which resulted in more severe clinical signs of coccidiosis in the recipients. The lambs given LE showed a higher incidence of diarrhoea, a poorer weight gain, a higher mortality, and a higher oocyst output than the untreated control lambs. In lambs treated with sulphadimidine at 200 mg/kg on days 12, 13, and 14 after turnout there was a reduced severity of the coccidial infections in all experiments. The sulphadimidine-treated lambs had better weight gains and passed fewer oocysts than the controls during the third and fourth week after turnout, but some of them developed diarrhoea. Lambs treated with levamisole at 2 mg/kg 2 days before turnout, at turnout, and 2 days after turnout were more severely affected by the first coccidial infection on pasture than the controls.To study the lambs’ immunity against a heavy challenge infection with coccidia as compared with their immunity against the natural reinfection on pasture, some of the lambs from the original groups (untreated, sulphadimidine-treated, LE-treated) were each inoculated with 2 mill. Eimeria spp. oocysts about 6 weeks after turnout. The oocyst counts of the challenged lambs, except the LE-treated lambs, increased to a new peak 19–20 days after challenge. The challenge infection caused a softening of the faeces and a marked depression in weight gain in all challenged groups of lambs, mainly between days 10 and 17 after challenge. The lambs were thus only partially immune to coccidia after the first coccidial infection on pasture. The lambs treated with either LE or sulphadimidine in connection with the first coccidial infection on pasture were not appreciably more susceptible to the challenge infection than the untreated lambs.     

Economic benefits of prophylaxis with diclazuril against subclinical coccidiosis in lambs reared indoors.

One hundred and twenty weaned male lambs, naturally infected with Eimeria species, were used to assess the economic benefits of the prophylactic administration of diclazuril. They were randomly divided into four groups of 30 lambs on the basis of their bodyweight and output of oocysts. The groups were either left untreated (group 1), treated orally with a simple dose of diclazuril at 1 mg/kg (group 2), with two doses two weeks apart (group 3), or with sulphadimethoxine at 50 mg/kg for five consecutive days (group 4). No clinical signs of coccidiosis were observed in any of the groups. The output of oocysts was significantly reduced on day 7 after treatment in group 2, on days 7, 14 and 28 in group 3 and on days 7 and 14 in group 4. No significant differences were found between the treated and untreated groups for bodyweight, carcase weight and carcase classification. The mean fattening period was shorter for the treated lambs (52 and 55 days) than for the untreated controls (60 days). The average growth rate of the lambs treated twice with diclazuril and with sulphadimethoxine was improved and the feed conversion rates of the lambs treated once or twice with diclazuril were 7 per cent and 16 per cent better than that of the untreated lambs.     

Efficacy of alpha-cyclodextrin against experimental cryptosporidiosis in neonatal goats

The efficacy of orally administered tablets containing alpha-cyclodextrin, an excipient used in the pharmaceutical industry with demonstrated anticryptosporidial activity in vitro and in neonatal mice, was evaluated in neonatal goat kids. The formulation was evaluated for hardness and was subjected to in vitro drug release studies. Twenty goat kids were orally inoculated with 10(6) oocysts of C. parvum within the first 6 days of age. Half of the animals were treated by oral administration of four tablets of alpha-cyclodextrin/day (500 mg/kg of body weight) for six consecutive days, the treatment beginning on the day of inoculation. Infection was monitored by daily examination of faecal samples from the first day to 25 days post-inoculation. The criteria studied in evaluating efficacy were: oocyst shedding, presence of diarrhoea and weight gain at 15 and 25 days post-inoculation. alpha-cyclodextrin was effective when given at the beginning of infection: there was a longer pre-patent period, a reduction in the patent period and a decrease in the intensity of infection, these differences being statistically significant (P < 0.05) compared with untreated neonatal kids. Moreover, except in one animal, the diarrhoea was prevented in infected neonatal kids. Animals from both groups increased the body weight and no significant differences were seen between the two groups.     

Winter resistant oocysts in the pasture as a source of coccidial infection in lambs

Lambs born in pens with slatted floor were brought out at 2–5 weeks of age on pastures heavily grazed by sheep the previous years. About 16 days later the oocyst output of the lambs rapidly increased to high levels. Lambs on pastures which never had been grazed by sheep earlier, had moderate oocyst counts.Between 11 and 25 days after the beginning of grazing there were significantly more lambs with diarrhoea on permanent pastures compared with pastures never grazed by sheep earlier.It was found that lambs were heavily infected during the first 2 days on permanent pastures.Thirteen housed lambs were given 10–50 g of soil from a permanent pasture as a water suspension by a stomach tube. Fifteen days later there was a steep rise in the oocyst output in most of them, and 11 of the 13 lambs developed diarrhoea and 2 died. None of 10 lambs given uninfected soil and none of 12 untreated controls showed diarrhoea and the oocyst output remained on a moderate level.It is concluded that oocysts which have survived the winter in the pasture are the main source of infection with Eimeria spp. in lambs with this kind of management. Soil-eating is the most likely source of infection during the first days on pasture.     

Immunization protocols against Cryptosporidium parvum in ovines: protection in suckling lambs

Ovine colostrum and milk from immunized ewes were tested for their ability to prevent cryptosporidiosis in the lambs experimentally infected with 10(6) oocysts of Cryptosporidium parvum at 36-48 h of age (day 0 post-infection). All lambs became infected and developed clinical cryptosporidiosis. However, lambs fed by immunized dams have shown shedding involved, significantly, fewer oocysts and lasted for a shorter period than in control lambs. In addition, diarrhoea was less severe. The best results emerged in lambs of ewes immunized by intramuscular injection of an emulsion of 2 ml of Freund's complete adjuvant and 2 ml of C. parvum antigen in sterile phosphate buffered saline solution, administrated four weeks before parturition, together with an intramammary infusion of 25 microg of antigen in 2 ml of sterile PBS emulsified in 2 ml of Freund's incomplete adjuvant, which showed the highest anti-C. parvum titres in lacteal secretions. In their case, the onset of output of oocysts was delayed by two days, the patent period was shortened by three days, their diarrhoea continued for only three days, and the quantity of oocysts shed decreased by 77%. The outcome was that at the end of the study they had a live weight gain of 2 kg more than the lambs in the control group. These results indicate that lactogenic immunoprophylaxis should help mitigate the financial losses caused by cryptosporidiosis in small ruminants, as well as reducing the risk of infection of humans through the decreased contamination of the environment with oocysts.     

Use of the anticoccidial agent, tortrazuril (Baycox, Bayer) in coccidiosis in suckling pigs]

At present neonatal coccidiosis caused by Isospora suis is known to be an important disease in piglets. The coccidium I. suis was diagnosed as the causative agent of diarrhoeic disease in piglets on a large pig farm with continuous farrowing operation. The diagnosis of coccidiosis was based on clinical history, gross lesions, histopathology, stained impression smears and aided by detection of oocysts in the faeces. Coccidiosis was associated with diarrhoea in piglets at the age of five to fourteen days. The disease was characterized by variable morbidity and only a portion of the litters was usually affected at one time. The piglets appeared listless, and suffered from yellow watery scours progressing to yellow pasty scours over a three- to five-day period. The lack of response to common antimicrobial therapy, and/or vaccination of sows for E. coli was observed. The prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy of tortrazuril (Baycox, Bayer) against coccidiosis was evaluated in naturally infected piglets. Tortrazuril at a dose of 20 mg/kg, given perorally to each piglet on days 6 and 8 of age, proved to be efficacious in preventing clinical coccidiosis in piglets. Tortrazuril fully controlled the oocyst output, prevented the development of diarrhoea but not improved the weight gains in three-week-old piglets if compared to the untreated controls. The prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy of tortrazuril was compared with another drug--amprolium (Amprovin, MSD). Amprolium at a dose of 100 mg/kg, given perorally to piglets from day 6 to 8 of age, was not efficacious in preventing clinical porcine neonatal coccidiosis. Amprolium reduced the oocyst output, but not prevented the development of diarrhoea. Tortrazuril (Baycox, Bayer) is clearly effective against porcine neonatal coccidiosis caused by I. suis.     

Therapeutic and prophylactic efficacy of imidocarb dipropionate on experimental Babesia ovis infection of lambs

The objective of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic and prophylactic efficacy of imidocarb dipropionate (IMDP) against babesiosis and to determine specific antibodies against Babesia ovis in experimentally infected lambs. Thirty-six 6-month-old splenectomized lambs were used. The lambs were randomly divided into six groups with six animals each, and were intravenously inoculated with 50 mL B. ovis-infected erythrocytes as follows: group I (therapy group) was treated with IMDP (1.2 mg/kg body weight) starting on the day of onset of clinical signs of babesiosis after the inoculation; group II (untreated control animals) was not treated with any therapeutic treatment after the inoculation; groups III, IV, V and VI (prophylaxis groups) were administered IMDP (2.4 mg/kg body weight) 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks before the inoculation, respectively. The animals were housed in a tick-proof room with water and food ad libitum up to the 30th day post-inoculation (PI). The lambs were monitored from the first day PI by recording the manifestation of clinical disease, rectal temperature, and the degree of parasitaemia. All the lambs became infected with B. ovis, except five animals from group III, which were treated 1 week prior to experimental infection. Other animals showed signs of acute clinical babesiosis. The animals treated with IMDP (group I) were able to clear the parasite from the blood circulation after 48 h post-treatment. The recrudescence of B. ovis was observed in two lambs 7 days after treatment, and they were treated with the second similar dose of the drug. Six lambs (1, 1, 2 and 2 lambs in group III, IV, V and VI, respectively) from the prophylaxis groups died within 7-17 days after showing high parasitaemia and clinical symptoms of the disease. Regardless of the clinical symptoms, 83.30% and 66.66% of the lambs which were administered IMDP 1-2 and 3-4 weeks before, were determined to be protected against the virulent field strain of B. ovis.     

Efficacy of toltrazuril in the prevention of coccidiosis in naturally infected lambs on pasture

The efficacy of toltrazuril (Bay Vi 9142) in preventing ovine coccidiosis due to an infection acquired immediately after turnout on pasture was evaluated by comparing the faecal consistency, weight gain, and oocyst output of treated and untreated lambs in 3 trials. The lambs were either given a single treatment with toltrazuril at 15 or 20 mg/kg, or they were given a dose of 10 mg/kg on 2 separate days. A single treatment with toltrazuril at 20 mg/kg on day 10 after turnout on pasture almost completely prevented coccidiosis in 2 trials. In a third trial the acute phase of a severe Nematodirus battus infection coincided with the outbreak of coccidiosis, and thus partly masked the clinical effect of the anticoccidial treatment. In lambs treated with toltrazuril at 15 mg/kg on day 10 after turnout, the coccidial infection caused a softening of the faeces, but the lambs were not severely affected by the coccidia. In lambs given a dose of 10 mg/kg of toltrazuril twice, either on days 10 and 11 after turnout, or on days 10 and 20, the coccidial infection caused a softening af the faeces, including some cases of diarrhoea. Oocyst production due to the initial coccidial infection on pasture was markedly reduced by all treatments with toltrazuril. The reduction was most pronounced after a dose of 20 mg/kg. Lambs treated with single doses of 15 or 20 mg/kg of toltrazuril had a better weight gain than the untreated controls in 2 of the trials. Lambs treated with toltrazuril on day 10 after turnout were partially resistant to the coccidial reinfection acquired immediately after treatment, and they had a similar level of immunity as the untreated controls to the subsequent reinfection on pasture.     

Controlling the onset of natural cryptosporidiosis in calves with paromomycin sulphate

A prospective, controlled-blind field trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of paromomycin sulphate, given for 10 days from birth, in preventing natural cryptosporidiosis in calves. In the untreated control group, oocyst shedding and diarrhoea followed the pattern that had occurred on the farm before the trial, consistent with a perinatal infection, whereas in the treated group, the prepatent period was significantly longer than in the control group (P < 0.01) and oocyst shedding and diarrhoea started only after the drug was withdrawn. However, the regimen did not reduce the incidence of disease in the treated group.     

Comparative therapeutic effect of toltrazuril, sulphadimidine and amprolium on Eimeria bovis and Eimeria zuernii given at different times following infection in buffalo calves (Bubalus bubalis)

We compared the therapeutic effect of three anticoccidial drugs (toltrazuril, sulphadimidine and amprolium) in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) calves experimentally infected with Eimeria bovis (E. bovis) and E. zuernii oocysts (3 x 104oocyst/calf). Buffalo calves (1.5-4 month old, 70-kg body weight) were randomly allocated into 3 groups (9 calves each). Group T was experimentally infected with oocysts and treated with toltrazuril (20 mg/kg BW twice orally at a 1-week interval). Group S was experimentally infected with oocysts and treated with sulphadimidine (125 mg/kg injected IM followed by half dose for 4 successive days). Group A was experimentally infected with oocysts and treated with amprolium (50 mg/kg orally for 7 successive days). Each group had three subgroups (three calves/subgroup) to represent timing of the drug administration: 1st day of coccidia infection (FD), onset of clinical signs of coccidiosis (CC), and onset of oocyst shedding into the faeces (OS). Clinical signs, body-weight gain (BWG) and number of oocysts per gram feces (OPG) were monitored daily for 35 days post-infection (DPI). The OPG were reduced (but the BWG was not different) in the T calves compared to S and A calves. Within the same group, treatment from the 1st day of infection reduced the OPG and increased the BWG compared to the later treatment timings.     

Chemoprophylaxis of coccidiosis in lambs with a single oral dose of toltrazuril

The prophylactic efficacy of a single oral dose of toltrazuril against coccidiosis (mixed Eimeria infections) in naturally infected lambs was evaluated in two experiments. Toltrazuril at 20 mg kg-1, given on Day 7 or Day 10 after turnout on pasture, proved to be highly efficacious in preventing clinical coccidiosis under Norwegian conditions. Toltrazuril reduced the oocyst output to very low levels, prevented the development of diarrhoea and improved weight gain during the first 4-5 weeks after treatment. Treatment on Day 7 was superior to treatment on Day 10 with respect to improving weight gain and preventing the development of soft faeces. Lambs treated with toltrazuril on Day 7 seemed to be as immune as untreated lambs to natural reinfections with coccidia later in the grazing season. In one of the experiments, natural infections with the nematode Nematodirus battus produced a coccidiosis-like disease in some lambs simultaneously with the outbreak of coccidiosis.     

Effect of monensin on experimental infections of Eimeria ninakohlyakimovae in lambs.

Two nearly identical experiments were conducted to determine the effects of the coccidiostatic compound monensin on Polled Dorset lambs experimentally infected with oocysts of Eimeria ninakohlyakimovae. Prophylactic medication at a dose level of 1 mg/kg of body weight was started 2 days before inoculation and prevented diarrhea and reduced oocyst production. Therapeutic medication at a dose level of 2 mg/kg, started with the appearance of signs of infection, reduced oocyst production below that of nonmedicated controls but did not eliminate diarrhea. Weight gains of medicated lambs were less than those of noninoculated, nonmedicated controls in both experiments. Apparently monensin, at the dose levels used, reduced oocyst production but also prevented weight gains as high as those in inoculated nonmedicated controls.     

The use of toltrazuril for the prevention of coccidiosis in piglets before weaning

SUMMARY: To determine the efficacy of toltrazuril as a prophylactic treatment for coccidiosis in piglets caused by Isospora suis (I suis) , a single 1.0 mL dose of toltrazuril was administered orally to 1056 piglets between 3 and 6 days of age, in 5 piggeries. Prophylactic treatment of piglets reduced the occurrence of coccidiosis in litters from 71% to 22%. The number of antibacterial treatments given and the number of piglets affected per litter were also significantly reduced, resulting in some improvement in growth rates to weaning. The severity of diarrhoea was significantly reduced, as was the amount of oocyst excretion. The number of days that piglets excreted oocysts in the faeces was reduced from 4.9 days to 2.5 days. The detection of J suis in piglets with diarrhoea was reduced from 84% in the untreated piglets to 6% in the piglets given the prophylactic treatment.     

Analysis of the kinetics, isotype and specificity of serum and coproantibody in lambs infected with Cryptosporidium parvum

Enteric cryptosporidiosis was studied in colostrum-deprived lambs each infected at five days old with 10(6) oocysts. The prepatent period was three to five days and faecal oocyst concentration fell below detectable levels by day 16 after infection. Specific IgA, the only isotype detected by immunofluorescent assay in faecal extracts from infected lambs, was first evident on day 10 and titres continued to rise until day 16 of infection in association with declining oocyst output. Specific IgM and IgG antibodies were first detected in serum seven days after infection. No specific antibody was detected in uninfected control lambs. Immunoblotting methods showed that serum antibody and faecal IgA had similar profiles of antigen recognition. Antigens with approximate molecular weights of 180,000, 23,000 and 15,000 were consistent features on immunoblots performed with convalescent sera and faecal extracts. The results suggest that specific IgA in intestinal secretions has an important role in immunity to cryptosporidiosis.     

Field trial on the therapeutic efficacy of paromomycin on natural Cryptosporidium parvum infections in lambs

The objective of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of paromomycin against cryptosporidiosis in naturally infected lambs under field conditions. The 36 cross-bred neonatal lambs, 3-10 days old, were used. On the first day that lambs showed diarrhea (Day 1) they were randomly divided into three groups. The infected control group (14 lambs) remained unmedicated whereas the two other groups were orally medicated with paromomycin solution (Humatin((R)), Parke Davis, France): 12 lambs (Group A) at 100mg/kg per day for three consecutive days (Days 1-3) and 10 lambs (Group B) at 200mg/kg per day for two days (Days 1 and 2). Drug efficacy was assessed by evaluating the presence of diarrhea, oocyst shedding and weight gains from Days 1 to 23. The results show the efficacy of paromomycin in reducing both cryptosporidial oocyst output and severity of clinical signs. On Day 4, all unmedicated lambs remained infected and excreted large numbers of cryptosporidial oocysts (mean score: 2.5) whereas oocyst output had stopped in most medicated lambs (>60%) and low numbers of oocysts were excreted in the remaining lambs (mean score: 0.45 in Group A and 1 in Group B). Mean oocyst excretion was significantly reduced in medicated lambs from Days 2 to 5 (P<0.05). Treatment also reduced, but not completely prevented, clinical symptoms although diarrhea stopped in most medicated lambs just after drug withdrawal. The mean weight gains of Group A lambs were higher than that of unmedicated lambs throughout the study and statistically significant differences were found from Days 1 to 11 (1.99+/-0.81 versus 1.47+/-0.53) (P<0.05). By contrast, the growth rate of Group B lambs from Days 11 to 23 was impaired when compared with the two other groups (P<0.05) although no significant differences were found at the end of the study (Days 1-23).     

Effect of subcutaneously administered diclazuril on the output of Eimeria species oocysts by experimentally infected rabbits

The effect of subcutaneously injected diclazuril on the output of Eimeria species oocysts was studied in experimentally infected rabbits. Diclazuril was administered either prophylactically at 0.5, 1 or 2 mg/kg bodyweight two days before each rabbit was inoculated with 20,000 oocysts of a mixed-species field isolate of Eimeria or therapeutically at 1, 2 or 4 mg/kg bodyweight five days after they were inoculated. The prophylactic treatments significantly reduced (P<0.05) the output of oocysts in faeces and the numbers in the rabbits' livers at all doses. The therapeutic treatment at 4 mg/kg also caused a significant reduction (P<0.05) in oocyst shedding, but the lower doses resulted in only a moderate reduction. The shedding of the pathogenic species Eimeria stiedae, Eimeria magna, Eimeria irresidua, Eimeria flavescens, Eimeria piriformis and Eimeria intestinalis was significantly reduced (P<0.05) in all the treated groups. The burden of oocysts in the livers of the therapeutic groups (4000 to 9000) were significantly lower (P<0.05) than in the inoculated but untreated control group (23,000), but higher than in the prophylactic groups (around 1000).     

Experimental bovine coccidiosis: control with monensin

Young Holstein-Friesian bull calves were used in a controlled experiment to evaluate the efficacy of monensin against coccidiosis. The calves were given oocysts of Eimeria bovis and/or E. zurnii. Medication was started 3 days prior to inoculation and continued during the 30-day experimental period. Oocyst shedding was quantified prior to and throughout the experiment and demonstrated that monensin at the rate of 20 or 30 g ton-1 of feed significantly reduced oocyst shedding and clinical coccidiosis. Clinical infection with E. zurnii was very difficult to establish, even when calves were treated with 20 mg dexamethasone IM on Days 12, 15, and 16 post-inoculation.     

Pathogenic Effiects of the Coccidium Eimeria ninakohlyakimovae in Goats

Twenty-four coccidia-free goats were reared artificially in indoor cages and allocated to 6 groups of 4 animals each. At 20 days of age, goats in groups 1–3 received 10⁴,10⁵ and 10⁶ sporulated oocysts of Eimeria ninakohlyakimovae per goat, respectively, each as a single dose. Goats in group 4 received daily doses increasing over a 3-week period, starting with 100/day for the first week, followed by 1000, and 10 000/day in weeks 2, 3, respectively. Goats in group 5 received 10⁴ oocysts following a challenge dose of 10⁶ oocysts on day 32. Goats in group 6 were kept as uninoculated controls. Infected animals showed diarrhoea and weight loss. Goats in group 4 showed longer periods of diarrhoea and patency than other infected goats. Goats in group 5 showed the same severe clinical signs as those in group 3 but produced very low oocyst output after a challenge dose. The diarrhoea was associated with a reduction in alkaline phosphatase activity and increases in packed cell volume and haemoglobin. No significant differences were found in serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total protein, albumin, globulin, Na⁺, K⁺,Cl⁻ between groups during 48 days after inoculation. There were no serum enzyme indications of damage to the liver. Histological examination performed 100 days after inoculation revealed that inoculated goats had mild subacute to chronic proliferative enteritis in the lower small intestine and the large intestine, and the mesenteric lymph nodes, gallbladders and livers also showed slight histological lesions. The results showed that E. ninakohlyakimovae was highly pathogenic.     

Ovine coccidiosis: studies on the pathogenicity of Eimeria ovinoidalis and E. crandallis in conventionally-reared lambs, including possible effects of passive immunity

No pathogenic effect was detected in lambs when 10(4) oocyts of each species were inoculated before 72 h of age. At 4 weeks of age the combined inoculum caused diarrhoea and weight loss, the severity being roughly proportional to the size of the inoculum. Even 1000 oocysts of each species caused diarrhoea; the pathogenic effect was attributable mainly to E. ovinoidalis. Hyperimmunization of ewes during pregnancy (by repeated inoculation of massive doses of oocysts) reduced the effects of oocyst inoculation in their progeny. Levamisole administration during pregnancy increased the birthweight of lambs.