4. Coccidiosis of cattle, rabbit, pig and carnivores

Question 1

What are the most pathogenic species causing coccidiosis of cattle?

Answer 1

Eimeria zuernii
Eimeria bovis

Question 2

In what age of cattle is coccidiosis usually present?

Answer 2

2-6 months (crowded and antisanitary conditions). Rarely in yearlings and adults

Question 3

Clinical signs of coccidiosis in cattle:

Answer 3

haemorrhagic and viscous diarrhoea

Question 4

Parasitological diagnosis of coccidiosis in cattle:

Answer 4

• Detection of unsporulated oocysts in sample of feces with flotation method. It is not enough to detect any oocysts!
• shizonts and merozoitesin mucous/bloody shreds of feces -› E. zuernii
• no correlation between pathological changes in the gut and oocysts shedding
• animals usually harbour more than one species and excrete a few oocysts

Question 5

Necropsy findings in case of cattle coccidiosis

Answer 5

• depend on species, amount of digested oocysts, virulence, resistance etc
• catarrhal to diphteroid enteritis in large intestine (terminal ileum, caecum and colon)
• histo - desquamation of mucous membrane, necrosis of epithelial tissue

Question 6

What are 2 forms of coccidiosis in rabbit?

Answer 6

1. Biliary
2. Intestinal

Question 7

What species causes biliary form of coccidiosis in rabbit?

Answer 7

E. stiedai

Question 8

Biliary coccidiosis of rabbit:

Answer 8

• E. stiedai
• usually after wining, 1-2 months age
• subclinical (no symptoms)
• detection of unsporulated oocysts in sample of feces with flotation method. It is not enough to detect any oocysts
• Differentiation from intestinal coccidia - not for routine diagnosis
• hepatomegaly, cirrhosis. Gamines and sporulated oocysts in smears taken from hepatic lesions filled with pus or caseous material
• biliary hyperplasia, cholangitis, distension of bile ducts, gamines, unsporulated oocysts

Question 9

What are the most pathogenic species causing intestinal form of coccidiosis of rabbit?

Answer 9

Eimeria intestinalis and Eimeria flavescens

Question 10

Intestinal coccidiosis of rabbit

Answer 10

• E. intestinalis, E. flavescens
• usually subclinical (no symptoms)
• detection of unsporulated oocysts in samples of feces with flotation method. It os is not enough to detect any oocysts. Identification of species - not for routine diagnosis
• usefulness of OPG (oocysts per gram ?)
• catarrhal and/or haemorrhagic enteritis, thickening of mucosa in small intestine (E. intestinalis, magna, irresidua) or in large intestine (E. flavescens, piriformis)
• pinhead size white nodules in ileum - E. magna
• histological studies - desquamation of mucous membrane, necrosis of epithelial tissue etc

Question 11

What species cause changes in small intestine? (Coccidiosis of rabbit)

Answer 11

Eimeria intestinalis, magna, irresidua

Question 12

What species cause changes in large intestine? (Coccidiosis of rabbit)

Answer 12

Eimeria flavescens, piriformis

Question 13

Coccidiosis of pigs

Answer 13

• usually between 8 and 15 days age
• blood is never present in diarrhoea range from white to yellow and pasty to watery consistency
• severely affected piglets become dehydrated
• detection of sporulated oocysts (autofluorescence)
• sporulated oocysts of I. suis are spherical, 2 sporocysts containing 4 sporozoites each
• lesions in the mucosa of small intestine (jejunum and ileum)

Question 14

Coccidiosis of carnivores

Answer 14

• mainly subclinical (without symptoms)
• detection of unsporulated oocysts by flotation
• cat: Isosopra felis - oval approx. 42 micrometers. Isosopra rivolta - approx. 26 micrometers
• dog: Isosopra canis 38, I. ohioensis 25, I. burrowsi 20
• to be distinguished from the other oocysts/sporocysts in the feces:
  cat: Toxoplasma gondii, Hammondia hammondi (12 micrometers), Sarcocystis spp.
  dog: Neospora caninum, Hammondia heydorni (12 micrometers), Sarcocystis spp.
• catarrhal and haemorrhagic enteritis