coccidiosis
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Coccidiosis is a parasitic disease of the intestinal tract of animals caused by
coccidia Coccidia (Coccidiasina) are a subclass of microscopic, spore-forming, single-celled obligate intracellular parasites belonging to the apicomplexan class Conoidasida. As obligate intracellular parasites, they must live and reproduce within a ...
n protozoa. The disease spreads from one animal to another by contact with infected
feces Feces (also known as faeces American and British English spelling differences#ae and oe, or fæces; : faex) are the solid or semi-solid remains of food that was not digested in the small intestine, and has been broken down by bacteria in the ...
or ingestion of infected tissue. Diarrhea, which may become bloody in severe cases, is the primary symptom. Most animals infected with coccidia are asymptomatic, but young or
immunocompromised Immunodeficiency, also known as immunocompromise, is a state in which the immune system's ability to fight infectious diseases and cancer is compromised or entirely absent. Most cases are acquired ("secondary") due to extrinsic factors that affe ...
animals may suffer severe symptoms and death. While coccidia can infect a wide variety of animals, including humans, birds, and
livestock Livestock are the Domestication, domesticated animals that are raised in an Agriculture, agricultural setting to provide labour and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, Egg as food, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The t ...
, they are usually species-specific. One well-known exception is toxoplasmosis caused by '' Toxoplasma gondii''. Humans may first encounter coccidia when they acquire a dog, cat or bird that is infected. Other than ''T. gondii'', the infectious organisms are canine and feline-specific and are not contagious to humans, unlike the zoonotic diseases.


Coccidia in dogs

Puppies 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. Symptoms in young dogs include diarrhea with mucus and blood, poor appetite, vomiting, and dehydration. Untreated, the disease can be fatal. Treatment is routine and effective. Diagnosis is made by low-powered microscopic examination 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

Coccidiosis 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 are toltrazuril (Baycox) or amprolium. After multiple infections, surviving chickens become resistant to the coccidia.


Coccidia in cattle

Coccidiosis (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 species '' Eimeria zuernii'' and ''Eimeria bovis'' and include loss of appetite, fatigue, dehydration, and watery, sometimes bloody, diarrhoea. 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. Coccidiosis affects the growth and sometimes survival of the calves and consequently affect the production and the profitability of cattle livestock production.


Coccidia in goats

Coccidiosis is also present in goats, and is the largest cause of diarrhea in young goats. It can also cause high temperature and loss of appetite.


Genera and species that cause coccidiosis

* Genus '' Isospora'' is the most common cause of intestinal coccidiosis in dogs and cats. Species of ''Isospora'' are host-specific, infecting only one species. Species that infect dogs include ''I. canis'', ''I. ohioensis'', ''I. burrowsi'', and ''I. neorivolta''. Species that infect cats include ''I. felis'' and ''I. rivolta''. The most common symptom is diarrhea.
Sulfonamides In organic chemistry, the sulfonamide functional group (also spelled sulphonamide) is an organosulfur group with the Chemical structure, structure . It consists of a sulfonyl group () connected to an amine group (). Relatively speaking this gro ...
are the most common treatment. * Genus '' Eimeria'' affects birds such as
poultry Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of harvesting animal products such as meat, Eggs as food, eggs or feathers. The practice of animal husbandry, raising poultry is known as poultry farming. These birds are most typ ...
and mammals such as
cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are calle ...
and rabbits. Species include ''E. tenella'', ''E. brunetti'', ''E. necatrix'', and ''E. acervulina''. Sulfonamides are effective. * Genus ''
Cryptosporidium ''Cryptosporidium'', sometimes called crypto, is an apicomplexan genus of alveolates which are parasitism, parasites that can cause a respiratory and gastrointestinal illness (cryptosporidiosis) that primarily involves watery diarrhea (inte ...
'' contains two species known to cause
cryptosporidiosis Cryptosporidiosis, sometimes informally called crypto, is a parasitic disease caused by ''Cryptosporidium'', a genus of protozoan parasites in the phylum Apicomplexa. It affects the ileum, distal small intestine and can affect the respiratory tr ...
, '' C. parvum'' and '' C. muris''. Cattle are most commonly affected, and their feces may be a source of infection for other mammals, including humans. Recent genetic analyses of ''Cryptosporidium'' in humans have identified '' C. hominis'' as a human-specific pathogen. Infection occurs most commonly in
immunocompromised Immunodeficiency, also known as immunocompromise, is a state in which the immune system's ability to fight infectious diseases and cancer is compromised or entirely absent. Most cases are acquired ("secondary") due to extrinsic factors that affe ...
individuals, such as dogs with canine distemper, cats with feline leukemia, and humans with
AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...
. * Genus '' Hammondia'' is transmitted by ingestion of cysts found in the tissue of grazing animals and rodents. Dogs and cats are the definitive hosts, with ''H. heydorni'' infecting dogs and the ''H. hammondi'' and ''H. pardalis'' infecting cats. Symptoms do not usually occur. * Genus '' Besnoitia'' infects cats that ingest cysts in the tissue of rodents and opossums, but usually do not cause disease. * Genus '' Sarcocystis'' infects
carnivore A carnivore , or meat-eater (Latin, ''caro'', genitive ''carnis'', meaning meat or "flesh" and ''vorare'' meaning "to devour"), is an animal or plant Plants are the eukaryotes that form the Kingdom (biology), kingdom Plantae; they ar ...
s that ingest cysts from various intermediate hosts. ''Sarcocystis'' may cause disease in dogs and cats. * Genus '' Toxoplasma'' has 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. Toxoplasmosis occurs 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, and
central nervous system The central nervous system (CNS) is the part of the nervous system consisting primarily of the brain, spinal cord and retina. The CNS is so named because the brain integrates the received information and coordinates and influences the activity o ...
signs. Disease in dogs includes paralysis, tremors, and seizures. Dogs and cats are usually treated with clindamycin. * Genus '' Neospora'' has one important species, '' N. caninum'', which affects dogs in a manner similar to toxoplasmosis. Neosporosis is difficult to treat. * Genus '' Hepatozoon'' contains one species that causes hepatozoonosis in dogs and cats, '' H. canis''. Animals become infected by ingesting an infected brown 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 the sulfonamide antibiotic family. 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

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External links


Reel of young doe (fawn) infected with Coccidiodus
Parasitic diseases Poultry diseases