ABSTRACT
The present study was planned to elucidate the influence of dexamethasone administration of Cryptosporidium oocysts output, body weight gain, organs weight, total and electophoretic patterns of serum proteins in chickens infected with Cryptosporidia. The results revealed that the maximal body weight gain was observed in case of non-infected control chickens. Severe retardation of weight gain was recorded in infected group and infected chickens treated with DEX. The minimum Cryptosporidium oocysts output was recorded in control chickens, while there was a significantly higher total oocysts output in infected chickens treated with DEX. There was a significant decrease in weight of spleen, bursa of Fibricius and thymus of chickens in both groups of infected and infected treated with DEX. The lowest weight of these organs was noticed in infected chickens treated with DEX. Total proteins, albumin, alpha, beta and gamma globulins decreased significantly in infected chickens treated with DEX, while there was a significant increase in albumin and gamma globulin in the group of infected chickens. The A/G ratio of infected and DEX treated groups was less than in control
Subject(s)
Chickens/drug effectsABSTRACT
Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of inoculation of low levels of Eimeria tenella sporulated oocysts for the first one or two weeks of life [trickle infection method] on the development of specific immunity in chickens. Chicken inoculated daily at 1 to 14 days of age with 40 sporulated oocysts of Eimeria tenella provided better immunity than in the case of chicken infected at 1 to 7 days only. This treatment was also preferable than those inoculated with 280 sporulated oocysts once at day 1 or day 7 or twice at days 1 and 7 of age. Better immunity was provided when chicken were infected starting at the age of 1 to 7 days than that observed at later age 7 to 13 days
Subject(s)
Chickens/methodsABSTRACT
The present study was carried out to clarify the effect of Eimeria acervulina on pH values of different parts of small intestine as well as the activities of trypsin, amylase and lipase enzymes of intestinal contents. Sixty 15-day old coccidia-free White Leghorn chickens were used. The chickens were divided into two groups. The first group [20 chicken] was kept as non-infected control. The second group [40 chicken] was infected with 50000 sporulated oocysts of Eimeria acervulina per chick. The results indicated that the pH values of duodenal and jejunal of infected chickens showed significant decrease than control ones, while there was no significant variation in pH values of ileal contents. Tryptic, amylolytic and lipolytic activities in duodenal and jejunal contents of infected group with E. acervulina recorded a significant decrease than their respective control. The activities of the previous enzymes of the ileal content of infected chicken showed no significant differences as compared with control ones. It is concluded that E. acervulina infection inhibit the digestive enzymes and processes of digestion in the small intestine
Subject(s)
Parasitic Diseases/etiologyABSTRACT
The present investigation was planned to study the effect of Ascaridia galli infestation on the average body weight, carotenoids, vitamin A, calcium, inorganic phosphorus, sodium, potassium and magnesium of 80 chickens at 7, 14, 28 and 49 days post infestation during the tissue and intestinal phases of the parasite. The results indicated that the maximal average live body weight was observed in case of noninfested control chickens, severe retardation of growth of infested chicken was noticed after 49 days post infestation during the intestinal phase of the parasite. The levels of serum carotenoids, serum vitamin A, liver carotenoids and liver vitamin A of infested chicken after 28 and 49 days post-infestation during the intestinal phase of the parasite, recorded a significant decrease than control ones. Also, there is a significant lowering in serum calcium, sodium and potassium levels of infested chicken after 28 and 49 days post infestation, however, inorganic phosphorus and magnesium levels showed a significant increase above respective control