Poultry parasite infections

Coccidia are intracellular protazoal parasites that are frequently found in the intestinal epithelial cells of animals they are also found in other tissues (liver), and are usually transmitted by faecal infection. The potential for infection is at its highest when young animals are brought together in intensive housing systems (e.g. poultry-broiler production). As a result coccidiosis is a major issue for the poultry industry throughout the world. 

The presence of pathogenic protozoans in domestic animals also produces debilitating effects and, therefore, eradication of these parasites is essential for better health of livestock and improved socio-economic status of the farmers. The economic importance of protozoal infections may be judged by the fact that more than US 280 million are spent worldwide in poultry industry alone for prophylactic treatment of chicken against coccidiosis [42]. Another fatal protozoal infection of animals is Theil-eria parva parva responsible for East Coast fever in cattle. The pathogenicity of theil-eriasis is so pronounced that the mortality among the infected dairy herds may reach upto 100% [43]... 

The vectors of the disease are SimuUum spp. and other arthropods. The important parasites are L. smithi (turkeys), L. caulleryi (chicken) and L. simondi (geese and ducks) which cause high rates of mortality in infected birds. This results in significant economic losses in poultry industry in Japan and other parts of Southeast Asia [6]. 

Several arsenic compounds have been used in veterinary medicine. Arsenilic acid (C HgAsNOj) was used to treat swine dysentery, and arsenamide (CnHijAsNOjSj) for heartworm infection in dogs. Roxarsone (3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid) is still extensively used in the feed of broiler poultry to control coccidial intestinal parasites, improve feed efficiency, and promote rapid growth, and there is no indication that it will be soon replaced by another drug. 

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