COCCIDIOSIS

Acute or chronic protozoan disease

Characterized by
High morbidity
Enteritis, Mucoid to bloody diarrhea
Haemorrhagic intestinal & caecal
lesions

ETIOLOGY
Caused by Coccidia of genus Emeria
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.

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

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 cecal or bloody
type of coccidiosis, E. necatrix, which causes
bloody intestinal coccidiosis, and E.
acervulina and E. maxima, which cause
chronic intestinal coccidiosis

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

TRANSMISSION

HORIZONTAL

Mechanical transmission by insects,

wild birds
By feet, hands, clothing, dust and
contaminated equipments
Mixing of infected birds, recover birds
are carrier for several months.

VERTICAL:

Not reported

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

E. acervulina

E. necatrix

mild disease: upper small intestine

older chickens
laying hens = drop in egg production
severe disease: mid-small intestine
bloody diarrhea
death

E. tenella

severe disease: cecae

only involves the cecum
severe disease in chickens less than 6 months
old

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

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

DIAGNOSIS:

History
Clinical sign
Postmortem lesion
Microscopic examination of wet smear
of mucosal surface scrapping
Lesion scoring & dropping score

CONTROL

Preventive medication (coccidiostats in

feed)
Immunization
Disinfection and sanitation

IN CASE OF OUTBREAK
Chemotherapy (Sulphaquinoxaline,
Amprolium)
Supportive medication(Vit. A,D,E,K)
Antibiotics

Intestinal coccidiosis

Cecal coccidiosis