Abstract
Coccidiosis caused by Eimeria species is a well-recognized disease of livestock. Enteric Eimeria infections are common, but disease usually only manifests when infection intensity is abnormally high. Campylobacter species are important zoonotic enteric bacterial pathogens for which livestock are important reservoir hosts. The diversity and epidemiology of ovine Eimeria and Campylobacter infections on two farms in north-western England were explored through a 24-month survey of shedding in sheep feces. Most animals were infected with at least one of 10 different Eimeria species, among which E. bakuensis and E. ovinoidalis were most common. An animal's age and the season of sampling were associated with the probability and intensity of Eimeria infection. Season of sampling was also associated with the probability of Campylobacter infection. Interestingly, higher intensities of Eimeria infections were significantly more common in animals not co-infected with Campylobacter. We explored the determinants of E. bakuensis and E. ovinoidalis infections, observing that being infected with either significantly increased the likelihood of infection with the other. The prevalence of E. ovinoidalis infections was significantly lower in sheep infected with Campylobacter. Recognition that co-infectors shape the dynamics of parasite infection is relevant to the design of effective infection control programmes.
Highlights
Coccidiosis of sheep is a frequently encountered disease caused by members of the apicomplexan genus Eimeria (Kaufmann, 1996)
The relative frequencies with which infection by different Eimeria species is encountered vary; E. crandallis and E. parva appear to be the most abundant species worldwide (Gul and Deger, 2002), E. weybridgensis, E. ovinoidalis and E. bakuensis are common in Europe (Reeg et al, 2005), but mixed infections by two or more Eimeria species are the norm (Arslan et al, 1999)
This study explored the epidemiology of Eimeria and Campylobacter infections in flocks of naturally infected sheep in Cumbria, UK, cataloguing their diversity and charting their temporal dynamics over a 14-month period
Summary
Coccidiosis of sheep is a frequently encountered disease caused by members of the apicomplexan genus Eimeria (Kaufmann, 1996). At least 15 different Eimeria species have been encountered in sheep (Kaufmann, 1996), not all have been associated with coccidiosis. E. crandallis and, to a lesser extent, E. bakuensis, E. parva and E. ahsata are more frequently linked with the disease (Skirnisson, 2007) than other species. The relative frequencies with which infection by different Eimeria species is encountered vary; E. crandallis and E. parva appear to be the most abundant species worldwide (Gul and Deger, 2002), E. weybridgensis, E. ovinoidalis and E. bakuensis are common in Europe (Reeg et al, 2005), but mixed infections by two or more Eimeria species are the norm (Arslan et al, 1999). Correlates with infection intensity have been reported, with more intense infections in young animals (Reeg et al, 2005)
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