Transferred drug-resistance in Eimeria maxima

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Parasitology
• Molecular Biology
• Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

• Eimeria maxima is a significant poultry pathogen causing coccidiosis.
• Antiparasitic drug resistance in Eimeria species poses a challenge to effective disease control.
• Understanding resistance mechanisms is crucial for developing sustainable treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential for drug resistance factor transfer between Eimeria maxima strains.
• To determine if co-passage of drug-resistant strains leads to acquired resistance in subsequent infections.
• To identify specific drug combinations where resistance transfer occurs.

Main Methods:

• Passaging of drug-resistant Eimeria maxima strains together in untreated chicks.
• Inoculation of resultant oocysts into chicks treated with specific drug combinations (methyl benzoquate/sulphaquinoxaline, clopidol/sulphaquinoxaline, clopidol/methyl benzoquate).
• Evaluation of treatment efficacy in controlling resultant infections.

Main Results:

• Co-passage of strains resistant to methyl benzoquate and sulphaquinoxaline, or clopidol and sulphaquinoxaline, resulted in infections not controlled by combined drug treatment.
• This indicates the acquisition of resistance factors from one strain to another.
• No resistance transfer phenomenon was observed when strains resistant to clopidol and methyl benzoquate were used.

Conclusions:

• Eimeria maxima strains can acquire drug resistance factors through co-passage.
• The transfer of resistance is dependent on the specific drug resistance profiles of the interacting strains.
• This highlights the complex dynamics of antimicrobial resistance development in Eimeria species.