Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
Department of Biochemistry, Toxicology and Nutritional Deficiencies, Animal Health Research Institute (AHRI), Agriculture Research Center (ARC), Zagazig, Egypt.
Open Vet J. 2024 Jan;14(1):341-349. doi: 10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i1.31. Epub 2024 Jan 31.
The prevalence of avian coccidiosis in the poultry industry has grown, resulting in substantial financial losses from high mortality, stunted growth, reduced productivity, and expensive medical expenses.
The purpose of the current study was to assess the immunological effects of neem leaf extract and toltrazuril on broilers that had contracted coccidiosis.
In this investigation, 100 one-day-old Cobb broiler chicks without sexes were employed. The chicks were divided into five equal groups, with 20 birds in each. On the 14 day of life, the birds in groups 2, 3, 4, and 5 received an oral inoculation with 1 × 10 sporulated oocysts of () (field isolate). The first group (Gp), which consists of 20 healthy broilers, served as a negative control. Gp (2) contains experimentally infected broilers and nontreated (served as a positive control). Gp (3) contains experimentally infected broilers treated with toltrazuril (1 ml/l drinking water) for two consecutive days. Gp (4) contains experimentally infected broilers treated with neem leaf extract 4% (50 ml/l drinking water) for 5 successive days, and Gp (5) contains experimentally infected broilers treated with toltrazuril (1 ml/l drinking water) and a half dose of neem leaves extract 4% (25 ml/l drinking water) for 5 successive days. For the purpose of estimating body weight growth and feed conversion ratio, each broiler was weighed separately at the start of the trial and again on the 1st and 10th day after treatment. In addition to obtaining intestinal samples for immunohistochemistry, blood samples were also obtained for immunological examination.
As compared to the negative control group, the experimentally infested broilers with showed significant decreases in serum nitric oxide, lysosome, phagocytic percent, and phagocytic index, along with significant increases in white blood cells (WBCs), lymphocyte, heterophilis, eosinophilis, basophilis, monocyte, serum total protein, γ globulin, fibrinogen, and haptoglobin. When compared to the control positive group, experimentally infested broilers treated with either neem or toltrazuril alone or in combination demonstrated significant increases in serum total protein, nitric oxide, lysozyme, phagocytic percent, and phagocytic index, but significant decreases in WBCs, lymphocytes, heterophile, eosinophile, basophile, and monocyte. The intestinal peroxidase stain of broilers infected with exhibited a significant positive expression for CD4, but the infected broilers treated with toltrazuril and half a dosage of neem displayed a negative expression for CD4, identical to the negative control.
The broiler chickens infested with may have a variety of negative impacts on their immune systems and immunohistopathological findings. Nonetheless, toltrazuril and neem extract, either separately or in combination, function as anticoccidial medications that may enhance the broiler chicks' immune state.
禽类球虫病在禽类养殖业中的流行率不断上升，导致死亡率高、生长受阻、生产力下降和昂贵的医疗费用等方面的巨大经济损失。
本研究旨在评估印楝叶提取物和甲苯达唑对感染球虫病的肉鸡的免疫效果。
本研究采用 100 只 1 日龄无性别科布肉鸡。将小鸡分为五组，每组 20 只。在第 14 天，第 2、3、4 和 5 组的小鸡口服接种 1×10 个孢子化卵囊 ()（田间分离株）。第 1 组（Gp），由 20 只健康肉鸡组成，作为阴性对照。Gp（2）包含实验感染的肉鸡和未治疗的肉鸡（作为阳性对照）。Gp（3）包含实验感染的肉鸡，用甲苯达唑（1ml/l 饮用水）连续治疗两天。Gp（4）包含实验感染的肉鸡，用 4%印楝叶提取物（50ml/l 饮用水）连续治疗 5 天。Gp（5）包含实验感染的肉鸡，用甲苯达唑（1ml/l 饮用水）和半剂量 4%印楝叶提取物（25ml/l 饮用水）连续治疗 5 天。为了评估体重增长和饲料转化率，在试验开始时和治疗后第 1 天和第 10 天分别对每只肉鸡进行单独称重。除了获得用于免疫组织化学的肠样例外，还采集血液样本来进行免疫学检查。
与阴性对照组相比，感染 的实验肉鸡血清一氧化氮、溶酶体、吞噬百分率和吞噬指数显著降低，白细胞（WBC）、淋巴细胞、异嗜性、嗜酸性粒细胞、嗜碱性粒细胞、单核细胞、血清总蛋白、γ球蛋白、纤维蛋白原和触珠蛋白显著升高。与阳性对照组相比，单独或联合使用印楝或甲苯达唑治疗的感染肉鸡血清总蛋白、一氧化氮、溶菌酶、吞噬百分率和吞噬指数显著升高，但 WBC、淋巴细胞、异嗜性、嗜酸性粒细胞、嗜碱性粒细胞和单核细胞显著降低。感染 的肉鸡肠过氧化物酶染色对 CD4 表现出显著的阳性表达，但用甲苯达唑和半剂量印楝处理的感染肉鸡对 CD4 表现出阴性表达，与阴性对照组相同。
感染 的肉鸡可能对其免疫系统和免疫组织病理学发现产生多种负面影响。然而，甲苯达唑和印楝提取物，单独或联合使用，都可以作为抗球虫药物，增强肉鸡的免疫状态。
