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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #375874

Research Project: Development of Control and Intervention Strategies for Avian Coccidiosis

Location: Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory

Title: Coccidiosis

Author
item CERVANTES, HECTOR - Phibro Animal Health Corporation
item MCDOUGALD, LARRY - University Of Georgia
item Jenkins, Mark

Submitted to: Diseases of Poultry
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2020
Publication Date: 7/30/2020
Citation: Cervantes, H.M., McDougald, L.R., Jenkins, M.C. 2020. Coccidiosis. In Diseases of Poultry. (D.E. Swayne, ed.) Wiley Blackwell Press, Hoboken, NJ. P. 1193-1216.

Interpretive Summary: Agent, Infestation, and Diseases.Poultry and gamebirds are susceptible to several species of Eimeria, which cause an enteric disease characterized by diarrhea, morbidity, lost weight gain, dehydration, and sometimes mortality. Coccidia are intracellular parasites, often resulting in disruption of the intestinal mucosa as they reproduce. The life cycle is complex, but there are no intermediate hosts. Lateral and vertical transmission is by mechanical contamination with the reproductive forms (oocysts). Diagnosis. Diagnosis is by detection of characteristic gross iesions at necropsy and by detection of microscopic oocysts in fecal droppings. Interventions. Control is largely by prevention, using anticoccidial drugs in the feed or live vaccines administered at the hatchery.

Technical Abstract: book chapter