eimeria prevention by hipra logo transparent background
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • Blog
  • Videos
  • Library
  • Calculators
  • FAQ’s
Menu
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • Blog
  • Videos
  • Library
  • Calculators
  • FAQ’s
Search
Close

Eimeria tenella is probably the most diagnosed Eimeria on the planet, but what is the prevalence of the other Eimeria species that cause coccidiosis in poultry?

  • September 1, 2016
Share on TwitterShare on Linkedin

Eimeria tenella is by far the most widely detected species on farms when routine lesion scoring is performed. However, it is well known that Eimeria infections very seldom occur with one single species of Eimeria, most of the time they are multiple. Let’s investigate what are the most prevalent species and how multiple infections usually occur.

E-tenella-3rd-degree-lesion

As Eimeria tenella is probably the easiest species to detect by lesion scoring, a common belief is that this species is the most prevalent all over the globe. In fact, macroscopic lesions are amongst the most pathognomonic with blood or typical moulds in the caecum and common finding of bloody droppings in the litter.

There are seven species of Eimeria recognized as parasitizing chickens (Gallus gallus), which vary in their ability to induce diarrhoea, morbidity and mortality (Williams 1998). They are Eimeria tenella, Eimeria acervulina, Eimeria brunetti, Eimeria maxima, Eimeria mitis, Eimeria necatrix and Eimeria praecox. They occur throughout the world wherever commercial broilers are reared. All seven species of Eimeria infecting chickens were detected in surveys of commercial poultry farms in many countries, for example, the Czech Republic (Kučera 1990), France (Williams et al. 1996), Sweden (Thebo et al. 1998), the UK (Eckert et al. 1995), Argentina (Mcdougald et al. 1997; Mattiello et al. 2000), Australia (Jorgensen et al. 1997; Morris et al. 2007), China (Sun et al. 2009), India (Aarthi et al. 2010), South Korea (Lee et al. 2010) and Brazil (Moraes et al. 2015).

Like Eimeria tenella that is localized in the caecum, the different Eimeria species tend to develop in different parts of the chicken gut and may be identified by the nature and location of the lesions they cause during multiplication (Long et al. 1976, Long et al. 1982). However, a definitive diagnosis requires additional laboratory investigations. Nowadays, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and morphometric identification of the Eimeria species are frequently used together as a means of differentiation in the field samples of faeces and litter.

In Europe, few field surveys of Eimeria species are available and even fewer have been conducted using samples from broiler farms. In a study conducted by HIPRA (Pagès et al. 2015), litter samples obtained from broiler farms between 2003 and 2008 in Spain, Belgium, Italy and France were evaluated for the presence of Eimeria species. Samples of litter faeces from each farm were pooled from 10 different random locations within a single broiler house on each farm. In fact, the species composition of coccidial populations is highly repeatable among different broiler houses on the same farm (Jeffers 1974). The evaluation was performed using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) developed at the Institute for Animal Health (Compton, UK) to specifically detect E. tenella, E. acervulina, E. maxima, E. mitis and E. praecox. Together with this molecular tool for detecting Eimeria species in litter samples, oocyst counts and the evaluation of the percentage of species by using a morphometry test were also performed to further evaluate the samples.

We decided only to look for the five species of Eimeria that usually affect commercial broiler farms -Eimeria tenella, Eimeria acervulina, Eimeria maxima, Eimeria mitis, and Eimeria praecox- due to the fact that E. necatrix has been reported to cause disease in long-lived birds -up to 12 weeks or more- (Williams et al. 1996, Williams 1998) and similarly E. brunetti is often reported to be rare in broilers (Long et al. 1982, Williams et al. 1996, Graat et al. 1998).

Analyzing the 3 species of Eimeria of known and high pathogenic potential (Eimeria tenella, E. acervulina and E. maxima), Eimeria acervulina has been shown to be the most widespread in the four European countries studied, whereas between the two species causing subclinical problems and affecting productivity: E. mitis seems to be quite uncommon, whereas E. praecox was shown to be present in all countries. Combinations of 3 species together were the most common especially: E. tenella, E. acervulina, and E. praecox. E. praecox was found to be highly associated with E. acervulina.

Similar to the study conducted in Europe and using the same techniques of evaluation of the samples, in 2012 HIPRA also performed the first Eimeria spp. prevalence study in South Africa (Pagès et al. 2015):

Eimeria-prevalence-study-in-South-Africa

Analyzing the 3 species of Eimeria of known and highly pathogenic potential (Eimeria tenella E. acervulina and E. maxima) Eimeria acervulina was shown to be the most widespread in South Africa (40.5%), whereas regarding the 2 species that cause subclinical problems and affect flock productivity: E. mitis was less prevalent (7.1%) then E. praecox (9.5%). Combinations of 2 species together were the most common especially: E. acervulina + E. tenella and E. acervulina + E. maxima.

Once again these studies showed the widespread presence of Eimeria praecox and thus of subclinical coccidiosis that “remains one of the most important infections causing decline in production performances” (Haug et al. 2008).

Finally, these results confirmed that the most prevalent species of Eimeria by far is E. acervulina, in contrast with the field perception that most of the time coccidiosis is only caused by E. tenella.

REFERENCES:

Aarthi S., Dhinakar Raj G., Raman M., Gomathinayagam S., Kumanan K., 2010. Molecular prevalence and preponderance of Eimeria spp. among chickens in Tamil Nadu, India. Parasitology Research 107(4), 1013-1017.

Eckert J., Braun R., Shirley M.W., Coudert P.. COST 89/820: Biotechnology: Guidelines on techniques in coccidiosis research. Luxembourg: European Commission, 1995, 286-287.

Graat E.A.M., Van der Kooij E., Frankena K., Henken A.M., Smeets J.F.M., Hekerman M.T.J., 1998. Quantifying risk factors of coccidiosis in broilers using on-farm data based on a veterinary practice. Prev. Vet. Med. 33, 297-308.

Haug A., Gjevre A.G., Thebo P., Mattsson J.G., Kaldhusdal M., 2008. Coccidial infections in commercial broilers: epidemiological aspects and comparison of Eimeria species identification by Morphometric and polymerase chain reaction techniques. Avian Pathol. 37, 161-170.

Jeffers T.K., 1974. Eimeria acervulina and E. maxima: incidence and anticoccidial drug resistance of isolants in major broiler-producing areas. Avian Dis. 18, 331-342.

Jorgensen W.K., Stewart N.P., Jeston P.J., Molloy J.B., Blight G.W., Dalgliesh R.J., 1997. Isolation and pathogenicity of Australian strains of Eimeria praecox and Eimeria mitis. Aus. Vet. J. 75, 592-595.

Kučera J., 1990. Identification of Eimeria species in Czechoslovakia. Avian Pathol. 19, 59-66.

Lee B.H., Kim W. H., Jeong J., Yoo J., Kwon Y.-K., Jung B.Y., Kwon J. H., Lillehoj H. S., Min W., 2010. Prevalence and Cross-Immunity of Eimeria Species on Korean Chicken Farms. Journal of Veterinary Medical Science 72 (8), 985-989.

Long P.L., Joyner L.P., Millard B.J., Norton C.C., 1976. A guide to laboratory techniques used in the study and diagnosis of avian coccidiosis. Folia Vet. Lat. 6, 201-217.

Long P.L., Reid W.M., 1982. A guide for the diagnosis of coccidiosis in chickens. Univ. Georgia Coll. Agric. Res. Rep. 404, 1-17.

Mattiello R., Boviez J.D., McDougald L.R., 2000. Eimeria brunetti and Eimeria necatrix in chickens of Argentina and confirmation of seven species of Eimeria. Avian Dis. 44, 711-714.

McDougald L.R., Fuller L., Mattiello R., 1997. A survey of coccidia on 43 poultry farms in Argentina. Avian Dis. 41, 923-929.

Moraes J.C., França M., Sartor A.A., Bellato V., Barbosa de Moura A., Borba Magalhães M.L., Pereira de Souza A., Miletti L.C., 2015. Prevalence of Eimeria spp. in Broilers by Multiplex PCR in the Southern Region of Brazil on Two Hundred and Fifty Farms. Avian Diseases 59(2), 277-281.

Morris M.G., Woods W.G., Richards D.G., Gasser R.B., 2007. The application of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based capillary electrophoretic techniques provides detailed insights into Eimeria populations in intensive poultry establishments. Mol. Cell. Probes 21, 288-294.

Sun X.M., Pang W., Jia T., Yan W.C., He G., Hao L.L., Bentué M. and Suo X., 2009. Prevalence of Eimeria Species in Broilers with Subclinical Signs from Fifty Farms. Avian Diseases 53(2):301-305.

Thebo P., Lundén A., Uggla A., Hooshmand-Rad P., 1998. Identification of seven Eimeria species in Swedish domestic fowl. Avian Pathol. 27, 613-617.

Williams R.B., 1998. Epidemiological aspects of the use of live anticoccidial vaccines for chickens. Int. J. Parasitol. 28, 1089-1098.

Williams R.B., Bushell A.C., Répérant J.M., Doy T.G., Morgan J.H., Shirley M.W., Yvoré P., Carr M.M., Frémont Y., 1996. A survey of Eimeria species in commercially-reared chickens in France during 1994. Avian Pathol. 25, 113-130.

 

Previous Post

Eimeria praecox: a brief story of the big unknown of coccidiosis in poultry

Next Post

The Eimeria species responsible for coccidiosis in broiler chickens

Related Posts

Can a combination of coccidiosis prevention by vaccination and using feed additives be effective against a necrotic enteritis issue?

Can a combination of coccidiosis prevention by vaccination and using feed additives be effective against a necrotic enteritis issue?

26 February, 2021

Of the infectious intestinal diseases that most concern poultry producers, avian coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis stand out in particular. The...

Taking advantage of qPCR when a coccidiosis vaccine for chickens is used

Taking advantage of qPCR when a coccidiosis vaccine for chickens is used

29 January, 2021

There is a large number of species of the Eimeria parasite that cause coccidiosis disease, both in birds of the...

Blog Categories

  • Coccidiosis in Chickens
  • Coccidiosis prevention
  • Coccidiosis Treatment
  • Eimeria
  • Eimeria Tenella
  • Oocyst
  • Symptoms of Coccidiosis in Chickens
NEWSLETTER
DON'T MISS ANY UPDATES

I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy and Basic information on Data Protection

Library

Check latests documents

Calculator

Tools to prevent Eimeria

FAQ's

Facts you should know

Next Post
3d cgi animation of a chicken in a industrial farm

The Eimeria species responsible for coccidiosis in broiler chickens

eimeria prevention by hipra logo transparent background

Categories

  • Coccidiosis in Chickens
  • Coccidiosis Treatment
  • Eimeria
  • Eimeria Tenella
  • Oocyst

Pages

  • Blog
  • Videos
  • Library
  • Calculators
  • FAQ’s

hipra

HIPRA 2021 All rights reserved

  • COOKIES POLICY
  • TERMS OF USE
  • PRIVACY POLICY
Menu
  • COOKIES POLICY
  • TERMS OF USE
  • PRIVACY POLICY
Basic Personal Data Protection information:

Controller: LABORATORIOS HIPRA, S.A.
Purposes: Managing the contractual and/or business relationship with HIPRA, including sending news, promotions and invitations to events sponsored by HIPRA.
Lawful basis: Performance of the contractual relationship and HIPRA's legitimate Interest.
Recipients: Third parties to which HIPRA has entrusted cloud computing, security, auditing, mailing, technical and computer support services, as well as companies in its group.
Rights: Request access to and rectification or erasure of personal data and other rights as explained in the additional information. You can seeview the detailed additional information about data protection in our Privacy Policy.

For further information, please check our detailed information on Data Protection.
close-link
NEWSLETTER
DON'T MISS ANY UPDATES
Basic Personal Data Protection information:
Controller: LABORATORIOS HIPRA, S.A.
Purposes: Managing the contractual and/or business relationship with HIPRA, including sending news, promotions and invitations to events sponsored by HIPRA.
Lawful basis: Performance of the contractual relationship and HIPRA's legitimate Interest.Recipients: Third parties to which HIPRA has entrusted cloud computing, security, auditing, mailing, technical and computer support services, as well as companies in its group.
Rights: Request access to and rectification or erasure of personal data and other rights as explained in the additional information. You can seeview the detailed additional information about data protection in our Privacy Policy.

For further information, please check our detailed information on Data Protection.
I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy and Basic information on Data Protection.
cross icon to banners and popup
This website uses its own cookies and those of third parties to improve our services and navigation. By clicking on Accept you consent our use of all these cookies. You can also opt to change your settings. For more information, see our cookie policy. Read More

ACCEPT ALL COOKIES Cookie settings
Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
Domain: .eimeriaprevention.com
Description: This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category ''Necessary''.
Duration: 1 years 1 days 1 hours
Type: Necessary

__cfduid
Domain: .freegeoip.live
Description: The cookie is used by cdn services like CloudFare to identify individual clients behind a shared IP address and apply security settings on a per-client basis. It does not correspond to any user ID in the web application and does not store any personally identifiable information.
Duration: 1 years 30 days
Type: Necessary

cookielawinfo-checkbox-non-necessary
Domain: eimeriaprevention.com
Description: This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category ''Non-necessary''.br /> Duration: 1 years 19 days 15 hours 19 minutes
Type: Necessary

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

_ga
Domain: .eimeriaprevention.com
Description: This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, campaign data and keep track of site usage for the site''s analytics report. The cookies store information anonymously and assign a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors.
Duration: 1 years 20 days 8 hours 50 minutes
Type: Analytics

_gid
Domain: eimeriaprevention.com
Description: This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the wbsite is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages viisted in an anonymous form.
Duration: 1 years 19 days 15 hours 21 minutes
Type: Analytics

_gat
Domain: eimeriaprevention.com
Description: This cookies is installed by Google Universal Analytics to throttle the request rate to limit the colllection of data on high traffic sites.
Duration: 1 years 19 days 15 hours 19 minutes
Type: Performance

Website for veterinarians

The contents of this website are aimed exclusively at prescribing veterinarians. By clicking on ACCEPT you state that you are a veterinary professional. In other case, please contact a veterinarian and click on DECLINE.

Accept
Decline