Prevention & control

 Chemotherapy

 Concept of preventive medication emerged with

realization that most of damage is done by time signs
of coccidiosis are widespread in a flock.

 Broiler flocks receive preventive medication.

 Treatment is used as a last resort or when other

programs failed.
Mode of action
 Sulfonamides & related drugs compete for incorporation of
PABA & metabolism of folic acid.

 Amprolium competes for absorption of thiamine by the parasite.

 Quinoline & clopidol inhibit energy metabolism in cytochrome

system of coccidia.

 Polyether ionophores upset osmotic balance of protozoan cell by

altering permeability of cell membranes for alkaline metal
cations.
 Characteristics of anticoccidial drugs.
 Spectrum of Activity.
 Effective against one or several of spp parasites;
 Very few drugs are equally efficacious against all.
Endogenous Stage Affected.
 Anticoccidial drugs attack at various stages of
development in host.
 Quinolones & ionophores arrest or kill sporozoite or
early trophozoite.
 Nicarbazin, robenidine, zoalene destroy first- or
second-generation schizonts,
 Sulfonamides act on developing schizonts & on sexual
stages.
 Diclazuril acts in early schizogony of E. tenella & E.
acervulina & macrogamete of E. maxima.
Coccidiocidal versus Coccidiostatic.
 Drugs kill parasite/ arrest development.
 Coccidiostatic medication withdrawn, arrested
parasites may continue to develop & contaminate
environment with oocysts leading to relapse of
coccidiosis.
 Anti coccidiocidal drug more effective than
coccidiostatic.
 Nicarbazinh at high temp. & humidity: highly toxic to
layers, causing bleaching of brown-shelled eggs,
mottling of yolks, reduced hatchability & production.

 Ionophores highly toxic at high dose, transient or a

permanent paralysis & mortality in more severe cases.
Reduced weight gain
 Monensin interact with methionine to reduce feather
growth.
 Lasalocid stimulate water consumption & excretion,
resulting in a wet litter.
 Salinomycin is highly toxic to turkeys
Anti coccidial drugs
 Objective : Maximum growth & feed efficiency with
minimum of disease in broliers

 Layers or breeders, the objective immunization.

 The choice of a product or program may depend on

season of year or other factors which affect exposure.
Continuous Use of a Single Drug
 Medication of coccidian: Several types of programs are
practiced:

 Often, a single product from day 1 to slaughter, or with

a withdrawal period of 3–7 days.
Shuttle or Dual Programs.
 Use of one product in starter & another in grower feed
is called a “shuttle”

 “dual” program contain as many as 3 drugs,

 one drug in starter, another in grower and 3rd one in
finisher.

 Shuttle program improve coccidiosis control.


 Intensive use of polyether ionophore “reduced
sensitivity” to ionophores.

 Nicarbazin, diclazuril, or clopidol in starter or grower

feed to help anticoccidial control

 Or these drugs are reversed.

 Shuttle programs reduce drug resistance.

Rotation of Products
 Periodic changes in anticoccidial drug

 Rotation of drugs improve productivity because

species of coccidia have reduced sensitivity

 In summer months, coccidiosis challenge tends to be

milder, so weaker anticoccidials are used.
Drug resistance
 Tolerance to drugs by coccidia after exposure to
medication is most serious limitation to effectiveness
of these products.

 long-term exposure to any drug produce a loss in

sensitivity & eventually resistance.
Immunization during medication in
broilers
 Chickens develop immunity to coccidiosis after natural
exposure
 Or develop immunity while receiving anticoccidial
 drugs
Coccidiosis Vaccines
 live oocysts of coccidian given to chickens at an early
age, protect against specific species

 Virulence of coccidia in vaccines is attenuated by

amount of dose & route of inoculation

 Coccidiosis vaccines in broilers has negative effect on
feed efficiency.
 Different vaccines for coccidiosis
 Coccivac®, Immucox®,
 Paracox®, Livacox®,
 BioVet®,Advent®,
 Nobilis®, In-OvoCox®,
 New live vaccines prepared from attenuated lines of
oocysts
 (e.g., Paracox7 and Livacox7).
 Contain 3 or more species of Eimeria,
 protection only against specific species.
Vaccine administration
 Success of vaccines depend on administration
technique rather than attenuation.

 Encapsulated in alginate beads and then mixed into

the starter feed for “trickle administration.”

 Spray cabinet administration, direct eye-spray,

 in -ovo inoculation
 Spraying oocysts directly into feed or water in poultry
house.

 Mixed into gels, which are placed into chick boxes for
chicks to eat
Control
 A broad-spectrum anticoccidial drug at lowest to
provide protection for 6–12 weeks.
 Or reduced level of drug during final 4 weeks chickens
to immunize infections in presence of drug. Such
exposure insufficient to protect against all species
 e.g.,E. necatrix
 Climatic & seasonal conditions may lead to outbreaks
Disinfection
 Failures in such programs;

 1) Oocysts are extremely resistant to common

disinfectants

 2) Complete house sterilization difficult


 3) an oocyst-sterile environment for floor-maintained
birds could prevent early establishment of immunity
and allow late outbreaks.

 Disinfectant: Ammonium salt and sodium hydroxide