Microelements in the Circulation of Coccidiosis-Infected Chicks

Abstract

Four-week-old Single Comb White Leghorn male chicks were inoculated with either Eimeria acervulina, E. necatrix, E. brunetti, E. tenella, or left uninfected. On Days 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 21, 28, and 35 after inoculation, blood was removed from five birds in each group; content of copper, zinc, and iron in plasma and total iron-binding capacity were determined. Copper content in plasma was increased during the acute phase of the infections by lower intestinal tract (E. brunetti, E. tenella) infections but not by upper tract (E. acervulina, E. necatrix) infections. Zinc content in plasma was decreased by E. acervulina and E. necatrix infections on the 7th day and was increased by E. acervulina, E. brunetti, and E. tenella infections on the 9th or 10th days. Iron content in plasma was decreased during the acute phase (Days 5 to 7) of E. acervulina, E. brunetti, and E. tenella infections. Total iron-binding capacity was decreased by acute phase E. acervulina and E. brunetti infections. Eimeria tenella infections increased total iron-binding capacity during both the acute and early recovery phases. Plasma content of all components returned to normal by the latter part of the recovery phase of the infections and remained so thereafter. Plasma trace mineral content appeared to be influenced by mineral absorption effects, by hemorrhaging, and perhaps by invasion of the bloodstream by gut bacteria as a result of mucosal damage. In upper tract infections, mineral content of plasma more closely paralleled that expected from previously reported mineral absorptive patterns, while the pattern of plasma mineral content seen in lower tract infections more nearly paralleled those expected from reported effects of bacterial invasion of the bloodstream.