Coccidiosis is a hepatic or enteric disease caused by protozoan parasites of the subclass Coccidia, genus Eimeria. It is important to distinguish between infection by coccidia, which is common, and coccidiosis or overt disease, which is infrequent.
What type of organism causes coccidiosis?
Coccidiosis is caused by protozoa of the phylum Apicomplexa, family Eimeriidae. In poultry, most species belong to the genus Eimeria and infect various sites in the intestine.
What causes coccidiosis in animals?
Coccidia oocysts are ingested by animals when they consume contaminated feed, water, pastures or lick a dirty hair coat. If ingested, the parasite can develop inside the host animal, causing damage to intestinal cells and potentially resulting in the host animal having diarrhea and blood in the feces.
Is coccidiosis a parasite?
Coccidia are tiny single-celled parasites that live in the wall of your dog's intestine. They are found more often in puppies, but they can also infect older dogs and cats. Dogs become infected by swallowing soil that contains coccidia or other substances in the environment that may contain dog feces.
What is coccidiosis associated with?
Coccidiosis is a widespread and economically significant disease of livestock caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Eimeria. This disease is worldwide in occurrence and costs the animal agricultural industry many millions of dollars to control.
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What causes coccidiosis in animals?Is coccidiosis caused by a parasite?
