Necrotic enteritis in chickens: development of a straightforward disease model system.
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.
Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Centre for Infectious Diseases, University Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 35, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
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Alnassan
Avian and Rabbits Diseases Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sadat City University, Egypt.
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Kotsch
Avian and Rabbits Diseases Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sadat City University, Egypt.
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Shehata
Institute for Bacteriology and Mycology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Centre for Infectious Diseases, University Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 29, 04103 Leipzig, Germany;
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Krüger
Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Centre for Infectious Diseases, University Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 35, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
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Daugschies
Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Centre for Infectious Diseases, University Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 35, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
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Bangoura
D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004751:Enteritis / Q000662:veterinary*; D009336:Necrosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D011201:Poultry Diseases