Control of an outbreak of mouse coccidiosis in a closed colony

In 1979 severe coccidiosis occurred within a closed colony of C57bl/6J Bom mice. The coccidiosis caused diarrhoea, weight loss and deaths. Pathogenicity and response to chemotherapy were studied in experimentally infected Bor: CFW1 (SPF) mice. Histological and other studies indicated that infection was caused by more than 1 Eimeria species which have not yet been determined. Treatment with different anticoccidial drugs was unsuccessful, but use of 2 triazinone-derivatives (Bay g 7183, Bay i 9142) added to the food (15 ppm) succeeded in completely eradicating the organisms from the breeding houses. Experimental findings on the sensitivity of the coccidia to other anticoccidial drugs are described.