title: Efficacy of toltrazuril against experimental infections with Eimeria labbeana and E. columbarum in racing pigeons.
abstract: The efficacy of toltrazuril against heavy experimental Eimeria labbeana and E. columbarum infections in racing pigeons was investigated. Pigeons were treated with toltrazuril at a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight before, during, and after the pre-patent period. In pigeons treated during pre-patency (1-5 days postinoculation [PI]), a 99.9% reduction in oocyst output was observed at day 7 PI. Treatment during patency (6-7 days PI) resulted in an interruption of oocyst shedding within 3 to 4 days. Pigeons treated with toltrazuril up to 14 days before the experimental infection showed on average a reduction of more than 97% in the number of oocysts in individual fecal samples. Finally, at reinfection, the immune response of pigeons previously treated during pre-patency was not altered compared with the response of infected unmedicated controls.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Van Reeth
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vercruysse
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D003049:Coccidiostats / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010856:Columbidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D004539:Eimeria / Q000187:drug effects*; D010270:Parasite Egg Count / Q000662:veterinary; D014227:Triazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D003049:Coccidiostats; D014227:Triazines; C036670:toltrazuril