Prevalence And Molecular Characterisation Of Eimeria Species In Commercial Chickens In Oyo And Ogun States, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Eimeria species are important coccidian parasites worldwide causing significant economic losses

from clinical and subclinical coccidiosis in poultry. Vaccines for its control in Nigeria are

imported without consideration of the local species often resulting in vaccine failure. This study

determined the prevalence of and characterised the Eimeria species present in Oyo and Ogun

States towards an effective control and prevention of coccidiosis.

A semi-structured questionnaire was administered randomly to 166 poultry farmers (82, Oyo; 84,

Ogun) based on the registered members of the Poultry Association of Nigeria, to obtain data on

experience of coccidiosis and the prophylactic measures adopted. Poultry flocks were grouped

into six epizootiological categories comprising: vaccinated and medicated 1-8 week-old (1, 2),

vaccinated and medicated 9-18 week-old (3, 4) and above 19 week-old caged and deep-litter (5,

6). Pooled faecal samples were collected from 9, 9, 9, 20, 54, and 19 chicken flocks in Oyo and

9, 16, 18, 27, 39, and 12 in Ogun belonging to categories 1 to 6 respectively. Oocysts were

isolated by modified flotation method, sporulated in 2.5% potassium dichromate and quantified

by the McMaster method. Eimeria species were identified by morphometry, infection prevalence

and relative abundance was determined. Eimeria DNA was extracted, amplified and quantified

using Real-Time Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RTQPCR). Data were subjected to

descriptive statistics, Chi-square, Student’s t and Kappa tests. Significance was set at p

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