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Necrotic enteritis in chickens: development of a straightforward disease model system
Author(s) -
Alnassan A. A.,
Kotsch M.,
Shehata A. A.,
Krüger M.,
Daugschies A.,
Bangoura B.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
veterinary record
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.261
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 2042-7670
pISSN - 0042-4900
DOI - 10.1136/vr.102066
Subject(s) - eimeria , clostridium perfringens , coccidiosis , eimeria maxima , coccidia , biology , enteritis , veterinary medicine , feces , microbiology and biotechnology , zoology , medicine , parasite hosting , bacteria , genetics , world wide web , computer science
The interaction between Eimeria species and Clostridium perfringens was investigated in two different necrotic enteritis (NE) models: 120‐day‐old broilers were used in two separate experiments consisting of six groups (n=10) each. Besides controls, chickens were infected with coccidia on study day (SD) 18 (Eimeria maxima and Eimeria acervulina (experiment 1) or Eimeria tenella and Eimeria brunetti (experiment 2) and/or a NetB toxin positive C perfringens strain (both experiments: SD 14 or SD 22, respectively)). Body weight, feed intake, mortality rate, clinical disease, Eimeria species oocyst excretion and C perfringens counts were recorded. NE and coccidiosis specific lesion scores were assessed (SD 24 and SD 30). In coinfected groups, NE‐typical clinical signs occurred. Coccidiosis‐specific lesions were most severe in coinfected groups (significant for E tenella, P<0.05). Most pronounced NE lesions occurred in coinfected chickens compared with C perfringens monoinfected groups (experiment 2, C perfringens infections on SD 22: P<0.05). In experiment 2, E tenella antibody levels were (non‐significantly) higher in coinfected groups than in Eimeria species monoinfected groups. Thus, infection with E tenella and Eimeria brunetti followed by C perfringens inoculation is regarded as an easy to handle and suitable model for investigations into NE of chickens.