Health Topics
Discuss health conditions, symptoms, treatments and prevention here.
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Coccidiosis
Coccidiosis
This is a favorite topic of mine and I’m excited to begin pooling research data and information here. There is no reason whatsoever to treat with conventional remedies when so many alternative options are found by science to be effective. <3
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Immunotherapy With Egg Yolk Eimeria sp.-Specific Immunoglobulins in SPF Leghorn Chicks Elicits Successful Protection Against Eimeria tenella Infection
Avian coccidiosis is the first to most economically important parasite disease affecting poultry industries worldwide. Current prevention measures are largely based upon prophylactic chemotherapy supplemented by the application of live attenuated or wild-type parasite vaccines. However, the rising appearance of drug resistance, consumer’s concern for antibiotics use in poultry production and higher manufacturing cost of live vaccines has driven to adopt new technologies aimed at increasing animal health and production efficiency. Supplementing chickens with egg yolk Eimeria sp.-specific immunoglobulins can be a viable alternative to avoid severe outbreaks of the disease. Twelve-week-old SPF White Leghorn chickens were experimentally infected with a large dose of E. tenella. During the prepatent period, the birds were supplemented by oral gavage with 60 or 120 mg/bird of hyperimmune egg yolk Eimeria species-specific immunoglobulins Y (Supracox®, SC) on a daily basis. The animals were euthanized 7 days post-infection (PI) and their passive immune protection was evaluated. Birds treated with 120 mg/bird of SC showed more viability, increased body weight gain (BWG), a normal hematocrit level (HCT), reduced oocyst output per gram of feces (OPG) or cecal tissue (OPGC), and fewer cecal lesions compared to the untreated infected (UI) control group. Birds supplemented with 60 mg/bird of SC did not show any significant difference on BWG, HCT, OPG, OPGC, and cecal lesion score when compared with the UI group. An ELISA test of the SC showed a weak cross-reactivity of IgY toward two asexual zoite stages of E. tenella. Western blot analysis of the sporozoite with SC showed few antigens barely recognized, while more stained bands were detected in the merozoite (≈82, ≈60, ≈54, ≈40, ≈38, ≈27.5, and ≈13 kDa). Oral immunotherapy using egg yolk polyclonal IgYs against Eimeria sp. represents an effective and natural resource against severe E. tenella infection favoring the gradual withdrawal of the anticoccidial drugs and antibiotics.
From Cherrie Nolden on our Facebook group. Cherrie is what I would consider to be the authority on this topic:
“The thing that folks should understand is that letting chickens expose themselves to pathogens is the organic way to produce antibodies against those pathogens. They deposit those antibodies in their yolks because this is how birds transmit their maternal antibodies to their offspring (no colostrum or placental transfer involved in an egg).
These studies are all doing the antibody production via injection of an antigen into the chickens that lay the eggs. That makes it patentable. Organic approaches are free and no patent is infringed. I have used the organic approach for years, and conducted PhD research on the patentable, reductionist approach. Two of my abstracts are below, and some additional articles if folks are interested.
Eimeria in calves:
https://academic.oup.com/jas/article-abstract/98/Supplement_4/253/6011981?login=false
Parasites use IL-10 to hide from the host immune system, so my PhD research was to use antibodies against an IL-10 peptide to help the host see the parasites and develop an effective immune response.
Egg yolk antibodies against IL-10: https://academic.oup.com/jas/article-abstract/98/Supplement_4/252/6011962
Popular article with the same basic approach, but using a different peptide for the antibody production: https://www.agproud.com/articles/44882-the-benefits-of-feeding-strategically-immunized-egg-antibodies-to-dairy-calves
Egg yolk antibodies control coccidia in layer hens: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8632257/
Egg yolk antibodies against spike protein: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7608017/
Phytochemical control of poultry coccidiosis: a review
ABSTRACT
Avian coccidiosis is a major parasitic disorder in chickens resulting from the intracellular apicomplexan protozoa Eimeria that target the intestinal tract leading to a devastating disease. Eimeria life cycle is complex and consists of intra- and extracellular stages inducing a potent inflammatory response that results in tissue damage associated with oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, diarrheal hemorrhage, poor growth, increased susceptibility to other disease agents, and in severe cases, mortality. Various anticoccidial drugs and vaccines have been used to prevent and control this disorder; however, many drawbacks have been reported. Drug residues concerning the consumers have directed research toward natural, safe, and effective alternative compounds. Phytochemical/herbal medicine is one of these natural alternatives to anticoccidial drugs, which is considered an attractive way to combat coccidiosis in compliance with the “anticoccidial chemical-free” regulations. The anticoccidial properties of several natural herbal products (or their extracts) have been reported. The effect of herbal additives on avian coccidiosis is based on diminishing the oocyst output through inhibition or impairment of the invasion, replication, and development of Eimeria species in the gut tissues of chickens; lowering oocyst counts due to the presence of phenolic compounds in herbal extracts which reacts with cytoplasmic membranes causing coccidial cell death; ameliorating the degree of intestinal lipid peroxidation; facilitating the repair of epithelial injuries; and decreasing the intestinal permeability induced by Eimeria species through the upregulation of epithelial turnover. This current review highlights the anticoccidial activity of several herbal products, and their other beneficial effects.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579121005642
EVALUATION OF LEMON GRASS (CYMBOPOGON FLEXUOSUS) AS AN ANTICOCCIDAL AGENT IN BROILERS PRODUCTION IN CALABAR,NIGERIA
“An assessment of the potentials of lemon grass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) as a possible intervention against coccidiosis of poultry was undertaken. The population for the study was made up of 60 day old (Chi–hatchery strain) broilers that were managed intensively and fed conventional feeds. At 2 weeks of age, litter materials with coccidial organisms from an infected farm were gathered, transferred, spread and mixed with the litter materials of the broilers so as to provoke natural infection in the birds. A week latter (at 3 weeks of age) the broiler birds came down with coccidiosis. The birds were then divided into 4 treatments of 15 broilers each and each group administered different concentration levels of the lemon grass extract at 0% (control), 10%, 15%, 20%. Postmortem examination was carried out prior to and after the administration of the extract of various concentrations. The mean levels of infection of the experimental birds initially were 21.5%, 32.2%, 28.6% and 21.5% for treatments 1, 2,3, 4 respectively while the final levels of infection after the administration of the extract were 50%, 0%, 6.36% and 18.8% for treatments 1, 2, 3, 4 respectively. It was observed that in treatment 2 with 10% concentration of the extract, there was complete clearance in the level of infection while in treatment 3 (15%) concentration, the infection was reduced drastically (but not cleared). In treatment 4 (20%) level concentration of the extract, there was a very slight reduction in the level of infection as the organisms remained static while in treatment 1, the control, at (0%) concentration of the extract, there was significant increase in the level of infection. There were significant differences (p<0.05) in the levels of infection after the administration of the intervention. By inference, lemon grass extract, (Cymbopogon flexuosus) at 10% concentration level was most effective in the treatment of coccidiosis infection in broiler birds (poultry).”
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/gjass/article/view/2374
Our members are reporting success treating coccidiosis with homeopathic RusTox200 and PhosphorusAcid30 as well. Please add any info you have on homeopathic options as this is not my strong suit.
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