Coccidiosis is a protozoan disease of chickens caused by various Eimeria species including E. tenella, E. necatrix, E. acervulina and E. maxima. It is characterized by enteritis, diarrhea that can be mucoid or bloody, and haemorrhagic intestinal and caecal lesions. Chickens are susceptible between 3-6 weeks of age. The disease spreads horizontally via contaminated equipment, insects or recovered carrier birds. Clinical signs include anorexia, weight loss, bloody diarrhea and death from blood loss. Postmortem lesions include swollen and haemorrhagic caeca or reddened intestines with pinpoint haemorrhages.

1. COCCIDIOSIS
Acute or chronic protozoan disease
Characterized by
High morbidity
Enteritis, Mucoid to bloody diarrhea
Haemorrhagic intestinal & caecal lesions

2. ETIOLOGY
Caused by Coccidia of genus Eimeria
Characteristics:
 Host specific
 Site specific with some overlapping
 No cross- immunity between species
 Short, direct life cycle
 Immunity quickly develops after exposure
and gives protection against later out
breaks of oocysts.

3. SPECIES AFFECTING
CAECA
 E. tenella
SMALL INTESTINE
 E. acervulina
 E. brunette
 E. praecox
 E. maxima
 E. mitis
 E. mivati
 E. necatrix
 E. hagani

4.  Coccidiosis causes considerable economic loss in
the poultry industry. Chickens are susceptible to
at least 11 species of coccidia.
 The most common species are Eimeria tenella,
which causes the caecal or bloody type of
coccidiosis, E. necatrix, which causes bloody
intestinal coccidiosis, and E. acervulina and E.
maxima, which cause chronic intestinal
coccidiosis

5. SUSCEPTIBLE HOSTS
 Chicken is the only natural host
 All ages and breeds are susceptible
 Outbreaks are common at 3 – 6
weeks of age and are rarely seen
before 3 weeks of age

6. TRANSMISSION
 HORIZONTAL
 Mechanical transmission by insects, wild
birds
 By feet, hands, clothing, dust and
contaminated equipments
 Mixing of infected birds, recovered birds
are carrier for several months.
 VERTICAL:
Not reported

7. CLINICAL SIGNS
 High morbidity
 Anorexia with dull birds
 Mal-digestion and mal-absorption
 Weak birds, loss of weight and increase
culling rate
 Bloody diarrhea
 Death due to loss of blood

8.  E. acervulina
 mild disease: upper small intestine
 older chickens
 laying hens = drop in egg production
 E. necatrix
 severe disease: mid-small intestine
 bloody diarrhea
 death
 E. tenella
 severe disease: caeca
 only involves the caecum
 severe disease in chickens less than 6 week old

9.  E. Brunetti; highly pathogenic
 E. acervulina; moderately pathogenic
 E. moxima; moderately pathogenic
 E. mitis; moderately pathogenic
 E. praecox; minor pathogen

10. POSTMORTEM LESIONS:
CAECAL:
 Swollen (3 – 4 times enlargement)
 Haemorrhages on mucosal surface
 Lumen filled with blood
INTESTINAL:
 Bright red congestion or haemorrhagic
appearance
 Pin point haemorrhages
 Whitish yellow plague
 Contents are brown, orange, pink or red
brown

11. PATHOGENESIS:
 Ingestion of Sporulated oocysts
 Wall of oocyst is broken down in gizzard (by
mechanical action and enzymatic activity) and
release of sporozoite
 Enter cell of intestinal mucosa and cause tissue
damage
 At least 2 generations of asexual development
(schizogony) and then sexual phase
 Oocyst is released from mucosa and is shed in the
faeces

12. DIAGNOSIS:
 History
 Clinical signs
 Postmortem lesions
 Microscopic examination of wet smear of
mucosal surface scrapping
 Lesion scoring & dropping score

13. CONTROL
 Preventive medication (coccidiostats in feed)
 Immunization
 Disinfection and sanitation
 Litter should be kept dry (good ventilation)
 Avoid feeders & drinkers from fecal contamination
 IN CASE OF OUTBREAK
 Chemotherapy (Sulphaquinoxaline, monensin
Amprolium etc)
 Supportive medication(Vit. A,D,E,K)
 Antibiotics

14. Intestinal coccidiosis

16. Caecal coccidiosis

18. Haemorrhagic intestines (E.
Necatrix)

19. Caecal coccidiosis

21. Cecal coccidiosis

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