Eimeria phasiani Tyzzer, 1929—a coccidium from the pheasant (Phasianus colchicus). II. Pathogenicity and drug action

Abstract

Eimeria phasiani was shown to be pathogenic to young pheasant poults. Doses of 100000 or more oocysts proved fatal to birds up to 3 weeks old. Lesser doses produced losses in the live-weight gain of the host.Two separate strains of E. phasiani were completely susceptible to 0·006% (w/w) Sulphaquinoxaline, but less so to 0·006% (w/w) Amprolium and 0·0125% (w/w) Zoalene.I should like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr E. U. Canning for her supervision and helpful advice, and to Professor O. W. Richards, F.R.S., for permission to work at the Imperial College Field Station. I am also grateful to Mr T. H. Blank, of the Eley Game Advisory Service, Fordingbridge, Hants, who gave day-old pheasant chicks for this study.The work was financed by a scholarship from the Agricultural Research Council.