A hispathological assessment of Eimeria sp. infection in the small intestines of chicken (Gallus gallus)

• Main Author: De Guzman, Romina Blanca
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1998
• Subjects: Eimeria; Chickens > Infections; Histology; Pathological; Intestines > Diseases; Coccidiosis; Protozoan diseases
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/1562
• Institution: De La Salle University

Fresh small intestines excised from ten 45-day old chickens from Global Agri-Business Development Inc. poultry farm in Pansol, Calamba, Laguna were examined for the presence of Eimeria species. Five to ten sections from the duodenum, jejunum, and ileun were fixed in Bouin's fluid for 24 hours. The sections were processed and stained with H & E. The tissue sections were then examined for the presence of Eimeria sp. and for host tissue damage. Two out of ten chickens were infected in the jejunal region of the small intestine. No infection was found in the duodenum and ileum regions. Thirteen schizonts occurring in groups measured approximately 30u in the jejunal villi. Also, a mature schizont with large merozoites measured about 50u across and was surrounded by a fibrillar capsule which may be a granulomatous host response. Furthermore, five gametocytes were found adjacent to the mature schizont. Histopathological examination showed prominent tissue damages such as lesions in the mucosa which may extend to the submucosa, sloughing of epithelial cells along the surface of the mucosal layer, and swelling and inflammation of the lamina propria in the infected jejunal villi.