Development of a molecular assay for the determination of Eimeria tenella oocyst viability.

Coccidiosis is caused by apicomplexan parasites of the genus Eimeria, which infect epithelial cells of the intestinal tract causing diarrhea and negatively impacting production in the poultry industry. The self-limiting and highly immunogenic nature of infection by Eimeria spp. make live vaccination an effective means of coccidiosis control.

Expression of fragmented ribosomal RNA from the mitochondrial genome of Eimeria tenella.

Highly fragmented ribosomal RNA-coding sequences are characteristic of mitogenomes of protozoan parasites of the phylum Apicomplexa. Identification of ribosomal RNA encoding sequences in apicomplexan mitogenomes has largely relied on sequence similarity with several apicomplexan species for which expression of these genes has been demonstrated. The present study applied Next-Gen sequencing to investigate the expression of fragmented putative mitochondrial rRNAs inEimeria tenella, a coccidian parasite of poultry.

Organellar genome dynamics of exogenous stages of Eimeria tenella.

Background: Coccidia are a group of intracellular protozoal parasites within the phylum Apicomplexa. Eimeria tenella, one of the species that cause intestinal coccidiosis in poultry, can cause significant mortality and morbidity. Diploid oocysts of Eimeria species are shed in the feces of an infected host and must sporulate to achieve infectivity.

Exploiting digital droplet PCR and Next Generation Sequencing technologies to determine the relative abundance of individual Eimeria species in a DNA sample.

DNA-based diagnostic assays for detecting infections with Eimeria species have been limited to providing identification and presence/absence data for samples containing oocysts. Modern technologies that generate quantitative data, such as droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), utilize a relatively short amplicon size containing sufficient species-specific variation for reliable species level identification. Targeting the cytochrome c oxidase subunit III gene in the mitochondrial genome, we established protocols using these technologies to determine the relative abundance of the number of copies/μL of Eimeria species in a sample.

Restoration of anticoccidial sensitivity to a commercial broiler chicken facility in Canada.

Increasing resistance of Eimeria species to anticoccidial medications is an issue in the broiler chicken industry. Using drug-sensitive strains in live-coccidiosis vaccines has been shown to improve anticoccidial effectiveness in US-based broiler production. In Canada, litter is removed between flocks, which differ from the US industry practice.