Eimeria stiedae: Experimental infection in rabbits and the effect of treatment with toltrazuril and ivermectin

• Published in: Experimental parasitology Vol. 119; no. 1; pp. 164 - 172
• Main Authors: Çam, Yücel, Atasever, Ayhan, Eraslan, Gökhan, Kibar, Murat, Atalay, Öznur, Beyaz, Latife, İnci, Abdullah, Liman, Bilal Cem
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: San Diego, CA Elsevier Inc 01.05.2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: alanine aminotransferase; Alanine Transaminase - blood; alkaline phosphatase; ALP; ALT; Animals; aspartate aminotransferase; Aspartate Aminotransferases - blood; AST; Bile Ducts - diagnostic imaging; Bile Ducts - pathology; Biological and medical sciences; blood chemistry; blood composition; CAT; catalase; Catalase - blood; coccidiosis; Coccidiosis - drug therapy; Coccidiosis - parasitology; Coccidiosis - veterinary; coccidiostats; Coccidiostats - pharmacology; Coccidiostats - therapeutic use; combination drug therapy; Drug Therapy, Combination; E. stiedae; EDTA; Eimeria; Eimeria - drug effects; Eimeria stiedae; Eimeria stiedai; epg values; Erythrocyte Indices; Erythrocytes - enzymology; ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; fecal oocyst count; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gamma glutamyl transpeptidase; gamma-Glutamyltransferase - blood; GGT; glutasyon peroksidaz; Glutathione Peroxidase - blood; GSH-Px; haematocrit; haemoglobin; Hct; hematologic tests; hepatic coccidiosis; Hgb; histopathology; infection; Ivermectin; Ivermectin - pharmacology; Ivermectin - therapeutic use; Life cycle. Host-agent relationship. Pathogenesis; lipid peroxidation; Lipid Peroxidation - drug effects; Liver - diagnostic imaging; Liver - pathology; Liver Diseases, Parasitic - drug therapy; Liver Diseases, Parasitic - parasitology; Liver Diseases, Parasitic - veterinary; malondialdehyde; Malondialdehyde - blood; Mammalia; MCH; MCV; MDA; mean corpuscular haemoglobin; mean corpuscular volume; oocysts; oocysts number in the per gram of the faeces; Protozoa; Rabbits; Rabbits - parasitology; Serum Albumin - analysis; SOD; superoxide dismutase; Superoxide Dismutase - blood; Toltrazuril; triazines; Triazines - pharmacology; Triazines - therapeutic use; Ultrasonography; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution; MCV; Rabbits; Hgb; AST; GSH-Px; Eimeria stiedae; ALP; E. stiedae; ALT; SOD; MDA; EDTA; Toltrazuril; MCH; GGT; epg values; CAT; Hct; Ivermectin; Protozoa; Apicomplexa; Rabbit; Parasite; Lagomorpha; Experimental study; Infection; Vertebrata; Oryctolagus cuniculus; Mammalia
• ISSN: 0014-4894; 1090-2449
• DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2008.01.005

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical, haematological, biochemical, lipid peroxidation, ultrasonographic and pathologic findings in hepatic coccidiosis induced by Eimeria stiedae in rabbits, and also to compare the treatment effects of both toltrazuril and ivermectin separately and in combination. In this study, 56 rabbits were divided into eight groups. The first group was designated as healthy control group. Rabbits were infected with 40.000 sporulated oocysts of E. stiedae. Groups 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 were allocated as the infected control group, infected+toltrazuril-treated group, infected+ivermectin-treated group, infected+toltrazuril+ivermectin-treated group, non-infected+toltrazuril-treated group, non-infected+ivermectin-treated group, non-infected+toltrazuril+ivermectin-treated group, respectively. Haematocrit, Haemoglobin and MCV values as well as percentage of lymphocyte decreased in Groups 2 and 4 whereas leucocyte counts and percentage of granulocyte leucocyte increased. Serum GGT, ALT and AST activities increased but albumin value decreased. Plasma MDA concentrations increased whereas erythrocyte CAT, GSH-Px, and SOD activities decreased. Mean oocyst numbers in per gram faeces (epg values) increased in both groups during the study. Ultrasonographic examination revealed that the liver was enlarged and had hyperechogenic parenchyma. Bile ducts were dilated and hyperechogenic and the gall bladder was dilated. The livers of these animals were enlarged and typical macroscopic and microscopic findings of coccidiosis were present. Treatment with toltrazuril and toltrazuril+ivermectin combination were highly effective in reducing faecal oocyst output in infected rabbits. Haematological, biochemical and lipid peroxidation parameters and, ultrasonographic findings of the liver were close to control values for Groups 3 and 5. Necropsy of these animals showed no visible lesions related to hepatic coccidiosis although a few oocysts were detected in the bile duct epithelial cells.