Influence of temperature on sporulation of Eimeria arloingi and Eimeria perforans oocysts

Eimeriosis of farm animals is one of the most widespread parasitic diseases in the world. In the conditions of the steppe zone of Ukraine Eimeria perforans is more common in rabbits and E. arloingi in sheep and goats. Study of factors which influence the development of these protists on the soil surface is one of the major challenges for veterinarians working for large livestock companies and fighting against eimeriosis. Environmental temperature is able to change the speed of sporulation of oocysts Eimeria. Five values of temperature (15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 °C) were used in a laboratory experiment in vitro. At 15 °C, the process of sporulation of E. arloingi and E. perforans in 100% of cases ended on the eighth day. With increase in temperature to 35 °C, the duration of sporulation decreased to three days. When the temperature was 30 °C the completion of sporulation was observed in more than 50% of the oocysts of E. arloingi on the second day, and for E. perforans on the third day. High-speed sporulation at elevated temperatures under conditions of global warming can result in the increasing spread of eimeriosis among wild and domestic animals.

Features of parasitocenosis in eimeriosis in young ruminants

The prevalence of coccidiosis diseases of various animal species has a global scale, so this problem has attracted the attention of veterinary specialists around the world. The purpose of this study was to study the specific features of the species composition and laboratory diagnostics of eimeriosis in young ruminants and to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment and prevention when using drugs from different groups. The material for the study was goats and calves. The research was carried out on the basis of two farms of the same agricultural holding in the Sverdlovsk region. Diagnostics was performed based on clinical and laboratory studies. Results of the study. The main pathogens in the goat breeding complex in goats of different ages were identified: the main causative agent of coccidiosis in 120-day-old goats was Eimeria arloingi, which accounted for 54 % of all detected oocysts in the samples. Eimeriosis occurred as a mixed invasion of Eimeria arloingi with Eimeria ninaekohlyakimovae (33 %) and Eimeria intracata (13 %). Eimeria arloingi (68 %), in 21-days-old goats – Eimeria ninaekohlyakimovae (32 %). Eimeriosis caused by Eimeria bovis was detected in 30-days-old calves (100 %). The article describes the results of using various anticoccidial drugs in the treatment and prevention of eimeriosis. A comparative evaluation of the therapeutic effectiveness of known coccidiostatics is given. The economic efficiency of different groups of drugs was evaluated. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that the morphological and quantitative assessment of parasitocenoses in eimeriosis in young ruminants was carried out. A comparative evaluation of the effectiveness of various traditional remedies and a new drug for the treatment of eimeriosis in calves and goats was carried out. Conclusion. Not all of the drugs used have the same therapeutic effectiveness both in terms of treatment time and the quality of elimination of the etiological factor.

SOME PROBLEMS OF INVASIVE PATHOLOGY IN GOATS

Goat breeding is a promising branch of animal husbandry in the Republic of Belarus. Parasitic diseases of goats are studied insufficiently. The presence of helminths from the nematoda and cestoda classes in the gastrointestinal tract of goats has been found. The most common are parasites from the suborder strongylata, especially trichostrongylids. The Eimeria fauna is represented by 6 species, Eimeria arloingi and Eimeria ninaekohlyakimovae are more common. In natural agrophytobiocenoses ticks such as Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatusare are widely distributed. A positive effect was obtained from the use of the common tansy for eimerioses, aspen in combination with rowan against intestinal stongilates, and the bird cherry to protect goats from ticks.

Vitamin B12 deficiency in newly weaned goat kids associated with clinical infection with Eimeria arloingi

A severe outbreak of diarrhea associated with poor growth was reported in ten newly weaned goat kids that originated from a research farm (Group A). Two of these kids underwent necropsy examination. Five goat kids of the same age maintained in the same pen showed no clinical signs (Group B). The clinical, gross pathological and histopathological features of the clinically sick animals were consistent with severe coccidiosis. Group A animals had significantly lower levels of serum vitamin B12 (<200 pg/ml) compared with group B animals (2000 pg/ml). In addition, kids belonging to group A had significantly higher Eimeria arloingi oocysts per gram (OPG) of faeces (101,400/g) compared with kids of group B (9,154/g). Microscopy and molecular tools (18S rRNA and COI genes) confirmed that the goat kids were infected with the caprine protozoan parasite E. arloingi. This study provides a definitive association between low levels of serum vitamin B12 and clinical E. arloingi infection, and also provides support to our previous studies that demonstrated how low levels of serum vitamin B12 leads to an impairment of neutrophil function and thereby potential lowered immunity to pathogens.