Coccidiosisis aparasitic diseaseof the intestinal tract of animals caused bycoccidianprotozoa.The disease spreads from one animal to another by contact with infectedfecesor ingestion of infected tissue.Diarrhea,which may become bloody in severe cases, is the primary symptom. Most animals infected with coccidia areasymptomatic,but young orimmunocompromisedanimals may suffer severe symptoms and death.
While coccidia can infect a wide variety of animals, including humans, birds, andlivestock,they are usually species-specific. One well-known exception istoxoplasmosiscaused byToxoplasma gondii.[1][2]
Humans may first encounter coccidia when they acquire a dog, cat or bird that is infected. Other thanT. gondii,the infectious organisms are canine and feline-specific and are not contagious to humans, unlike thezoonotic diseases.[citation needed]
Coccidia in dogs
editPuppies are frequently infected with coccidia from the feces of their mother, and are more likely to develop coccidiosis due to their undeveloped immune systems. Stress can trigger symptoms in susceptible animals.[3]
Symptoms in young dogs include diarrhea withmucusandblood,poor appetite, vomiting, and dehydration. Untreated, the disease can be fatal.
Treatment is routine and effective. Diagnosis is made by low-poweredmicroscopicexamination of the feces, which is generally replete with oocysts. Readily available drugs eliminate the protozoa or reduce them enough that the animal's immune system can clear the infection. Permanent damage to the gastrointestinal system is rare, and a dog will usually suffer no long-lasting negative effects.
Coccidia in chickens
editCoccidiosis is a significant disease for chickens, especially affecting the young chicks. It can be fatal or leave the bird with compromised digestion. There are chick feed mixes that contain a coccidiostat to manage exposure levels and control disease. In an outbreak, coccidiocidal medications are given. Examples aretoltrazuril(Baycox) oramprolium.After multiple infections, surviving chickens become resistant to the coccidia.[citation needed]
Coccidia in cattle
editCoccidiosis (in cattle also known as Eimeriosis) is one of the most important diseases in calves and youngstock both under housing conditions and when grazing. Symptoms are generally caused by the speciesEimeria zuerniiandEimeria bovisand include loss of appetite, fatigue, dehydration, and watery, sometimes bloody, diarrhoea.[4]Outbreaks are known to occur in cattle herds. The parasite can infect all animals on the farm and in some countries the parasite is present on all farms.[5]Coccidiosis affects the growth and sometimes survival of the calves and consequently affect the production and the profitability of cattle livestock production.[6]
Coccidia in goats
editCoccidiosis is also present in goats, and is the largest cause of diarrhea in young goats.[7]It can also cause high temperature and loss of appetite.
Genera and species that cause coccidiosis
edit- GenusIsosporais the most common cause of intestinal coccidiosis in dogs and cats. Species ofIsosporaare host-specific, infecting only one species. Species that infectdogsincludeI. canis,I. ohioensis,I. burrowsi,andI. neorivolta.Species that infectcatsincludeI. felisandI. rivolta.[8]The most common symptom is diarrhea.Sulfonamidesare the most common treatment.[9]
- GenusEimeriaaffects birds such aspoultryand mammals such ascattleand rabbits.[10]Species includeE. tenella,E. brunetti,E. necatrix,andE. acervulina.Sulfonamides are effective.
- GenusCryptosporidiumcontains two species known to causecryptosporidiosis,C. parvumandC. muris.Cattle are most commonly affected, and their feces may be a source of infection for other mammals, including humans. Recent genetic analyses ofCryptosporidiumin humans have identifiedC. hominisas a human-specific pathogen. Infection occurs most commonly inimmunocompromisedindividuals, such as dogs withcanine distemper,cats withfeline leukemia,and humans withAIDS.[9]
- GenusHammondiais transmitted by ingestion ofcystsfound in the tissue of grazing animals and rodents. Dogs and cats are the definitivehosts,withH. heydorniinfecting dogs and theH. hammondiandH. pardalisinfecting cats. Symptoms do not usually occur.[9]
- GenusBesnoitiainfects cats that ingest cysts in the tissue of rodents andopossums,but usually do not cause disease.[9]
- GenusSarcocystisinfectscarnivoresthat ingest cysts from various intermediate hosts.Sarcocystismay cause disease in dogs and cats.[9]
- GenusToxoplasmahas one important species,T. gondii.Cats are the definitive host, but all mammals and some fish, reptiles, and amphibians can be intermediate hosts. Only cat feces will hold infective oocysts, but infection through ingestion of cysts can occur with the tissue of any intermediate host.Toxoplasmosisoccurs in humans usually as low-grade fever or muscle pain for a few days. A normal immune system will suppress the infection but the tissue cysts will persist in that animal or human for years or for life. In immunocompromised individuals, dormant cysts can be reactivated and cause lesions in the brain, heart, lungs, eyes, and other tissues. A fetus may be at risk if a pregnant woman without immunity becomes infected. Symptoms in cats include fever, weight loss, diarrhea, vomiting,uveitis,andcentral nervous systemsigns. Disease in dogs includes paralysis, tremors, and seizures. Dogs and cats are usually treated withclindamycin.[9]
- GenusNeosporahas one important species,N. caninum,which affects dogs in a manner similar to toxoplasmosis.Neosporosisis difficult to treat.[9]
- GenusHepatozooncontains one species that causeshepatozoonosisin dogs and cats,H. canis.Animals become infected by ingesting an infectedbrown dog tick(Rhipicephalus sanguineus). Symptoms include fever, weight loss, and pain in the spine and limbs.
The most common medications used to treat coccidian infections are in thesulfonamideantibiotic family.[11][12]
Depending on the pathogen and the condition of the animal, untreated coccidiosis may clear of its own accord, or become severe and damaging, and sometimes cause death.
References
edit- ^"Parasitology 6 - Phylum Apicomplexa - Coccidia, Eimeria, Toxoplasma, Cryptosporidium, etc".Retrieved20 January2014.
- ^"Coccidiosis".Retrieved20 January2014.
- ^"Coccidia Treatment for Puppies".Archived fromthe originalon 1 February 2014.Retrieved20 January2014.
- ^Daugschies, A; Najdrowski, M (2005). "Eimeriosis in Cattle: Current Understanding".J. Vet. Med. B.52(10): 417–427.doi:10.1111/j.1439-0450.2005.00894.x.PMID16364016.
- ^Lassen, B; Viltrop, A; Raaperi, K; Järvis, T (2009). "Eimeria and Cryptosporidium in Estonian dairy farms in regard to age, species, and diarrhoea".Vet. Parasitol.166(3–4): 212–229.doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2009.08.022.PMID19747778.
- ^Lassen, B; Østergaard, S (2012). "Estimation of the economical effects of Eimeria infections in Estonian dairy herds using a stochastic model".Prev. Vet. Med.106(3–4): 258–265.doi:10.1016/j.prevetmed.2012.04.005.PMID22608299.
- ^JM Luginbuhl; Kevin Anderson (September 29, 2015)."Coccidiosis, the Most Common Cause of Diarrhea in Young Goats".content.ces.ncsu.edu.NC State Extension Publications.Retrieved2018-12-24.
- ^"Intestinal Parasites - Coccidia".Archived fromthe originalon 2 February 2014.Retrieved20 January2014.
- ^abcdefgEttinger, S. J.; Feldman, E. C. (1995).Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine(4th ed.). W.B. Saunders Company.ISBN978-0-7216-6795-9.
- ^"Protozoal enteritis: Coccidiosis".Retrieved24 July2014.
- ^White, G.; et al."Sulfachinoxalin 4-amino-N-quinoxalin-2-yl- benzenesulfonamide".WikiGenes.Archived fromthe originalon 4 March 2016.Retrieved19 July2013.
- ^"Sulfaquinoxaline".www.lookfordiagnosis.com.Retrieved19 July2013.