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Updated: Dec 28, 2025
Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification LAMP Assays for the Species-specific Detection of Eimeria that Infect Chickens
Published on: February 20, 2015
Dissection of the cecal microbial community in chickens after Eimeria tenella infection
Hong-Liang Chen1, Xin-Yu Zhao1, Guang-Xun Zhao1
1College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Provincial Engineering Research Center of Animal Probiotics, Key Laboratory of Animal Production and Product Quality Safety of Ministry of Education, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China.
Background:
Eimeria spp. are responsible for chicken coccidiosis which is the most important enteric protozoan disease resulting in tremendous economic losses in the poultry industry. Understanding the interaction between the avian cecal microbiota and coccidia is of interest in the development of alternative treatments that do not rely on chemotherapeutics and do not lead to drug resistance.
Methods:
We utilized 16S rRNA gene sequencing to detect the dynamics of the cecal microbial community in AA broilers challenged with Eimeria tenella. Histopathological analysis of the cecum was also conducted.
Results:
We found that microbial shifts occur during the infection. Lactobacillus, Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcaceae UCG-013, Romboutsia and Shuttleworthia decreased in abundance. However, the opportunistic pathogens Enterococcus and Streptococcus increased in abundance over time in response to the infection.
Conclusions:
Eimeria tenella disrupts the integrity of the cecal microbiota and could promote the establishment and growth of potentially pathogenic bacteria. Defining bacterial populations affected by coccidial infection might help identify bacterial markers for intestinal disease as well as populations or species that could be beneficial in maintaining and restoring gut homeostasis during and after infection with E. tenella.
