Disfani Reza Ataee, Shadfar Fariba, Mohammadi Mohammad Reza, Shamsi Laya, Asghari Ali, Badri Milad, Davoodi Tahereh, Maleki Farajolah
Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran.
Zoonotic Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran.
Vet Med Sci. 2025 Jul;11(4):e70450. doi: 10.1002/vms3.70450.
Eimeria spp. are protozoan parasites causing coccidiosis, a disease that leads to significant economic losses in livestock such as cattle, water buffalo, sheep and goats. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the prevalence and distribution of Eimeria species in Iranian livestock to better understand the epidemiology of this parasitic infection.
A comprehensive literature search was conducted in international and Persian databases for studies published from 1 January 2000 to 7 October 2024. Data on prevalence rates, sample sizes, age groups, genders, seasons, species identification and geographical distribution were analysed using a random-effects model, with subgroup and meta-regression analyses to identify potential sources of heterogeneity. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the robustness of the results.
This systematic review included 25 studies comprising 29 datasets: 12 on sheep, 8 on cattle, 7 on goats and 2 on water buffalo. The overall weighted prevalence of Eimeria spp. in Iranian livestock was 45% (95% CI: 32.9%-57.6%). Species-specific pooled prevalence rates were highest in water buffalo (92.7%), followed by goats (75.6%), sheep (47%) and cattle (19.1%). Younger animals (under 1 year) showed a higher prevalence (65.2%) compared to older ones (48.8%), with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.03 (95% CI: 1.33-3.08), indicating increased susceptibility in younger livestock. Females exhibited slightly higher infection rates (42.9%) than males (42.7%), and prevalence peaked during spring and winter. A total of 35 Eimeria species were identified across Iranian livestock. Water buffalo had 14 species, with E. bovis and E. zuernii being the most common. Cattle and sheep each had 13 species, with E. bovis and E. zuernii predominating in cattle and E. intricata, E. ahsata, E. ovinoidalis and E. faurei predominating in sheep, while goats had 12, with E. arloingi, E. ninakohlyakimovae and E. christenseni being predominant in goats.
The findings highlight the critical need for effective control and prevention strategies to mitigate the health and economic impacts of Eimeria spp. infections in Iranian livestock.
艾美耳球虫属是引起球虫病的原生动物寄生虫，这种疾病会给牛、水牛、绵羊和山羊等家畜带来重大经济损失。本系统评价和荟萃分析评估了伊朗家畜中艾美耳球虫种类的流行情况和分布，以更好地了解这种寄生虫感染的流行病学。
在国际和波斯数据库中对2000年1月1日至2024年10月7日发表的研究进行了全面的文献检索。使用随机效应模型分析患病率、样本量、年龄组、性别、季节、物种鉴定和地理分布的数据，并进行亚组和元回归分析以确定潜在的异质性来源。进行了敏感性分析以评估结果的稳健性。
本系统评价纳入了25项研究，包括29个数据集：12项关于绵羊，8项关于牛，7项关于山羊，2项关于水牛。伊朗家畜中艾美耳球虫属的总体加权患病率为45%（95%CI：32.9%-57.6%）。特定物种的合并患病率在水牛中最高（92.7%），其次是山羊（75.6%）、绵羊（47%）和牛（19.1%）。与年长动物（48.8%）相比，年幼动物（1岁以下）的患病率更高（65.2%），优势比（OR）为2.03（95%CI：1.33-3.08），表明年幼家畜易感性增加。雌性的感染率（42.9%）略高于雄性（42.7%），患病率在春季和冬季达到峰值。在伊朗家畜中总共鉴定出35种艾美耳球虫。水牛有14种，其中牛艾美耳球虫和邱氏艾美耳球虫最为常见。牛和绵羊各有13种，牛中以牛艾美耳球虫和邱氏艾美耳球虫为主，绵羊中以复杂艾美耳球虫、阿氏艾美耳球虫、类圆形艾美耳球虫和法氏艾美耳球虫为主，而山羊有12种，以阿氏艾美耳球虫、纳氏艾美耳球虫和克里斯滕森艾美耳球虫为主。
研究结果突出表明迫切需要有效的控制和预防策略，以减轻伊朗家畜中艾美耳球虫属感染对健康和经济的影响。
