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SUMMARY: The chicken's cellular immune response to invasion by Eimeria tenella, the cause of cecal coccidiosis, a destructive parasitic disease of poultry, generates reactive oxidative species (ROS). The antioxidant, performance, and parasitological effects of prebiotic (Sugarcane molasses), probiotic (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and synbiotic (cocktail of probiotics and prebiotics) supplementation in drinking water on cecal coccidiosis were investigated in this report. Ninety day-old broiler chicks were divided into 6 groups (A, B, C, D, E, and F), each with 15 chicks. At 21 d of age, Groups B – F were inoculated with 2.0 × 104 Eimeria tenella sporulated oocysts/chick. Group A was used as negative control. The positive control Group B, was not supplemented. Throughout the experiment, Group C was given sugarcane molasses, Group D was given probiotics and Group E was given synbiotics. Group F received prophylactic amprolium treatment. Results revealed inoculated groups had significant (P < 0.05) increases in glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities; 4.59 ± 3.89, 3.47 ± 0.92, 4.03 ± 1.89, 4.44 ± 1.99, 3.47 ± 1.44 U/ml in Groups B, C, D, E and F respectively compared with Group A (1.90 ± 0.21 U/ml) at 1-wk post inoculation (PI). Malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration likewise increased significantly in the same groups and period. However, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities decreased significantly in the inoculated groups; 1,210.57 ± 29.59, 2,536.83 ± 108.82, 3,049.97 ± 86.68, 2,776.80 ± 399.69, 1,868.83 ± 45.04 U/ml in Groups B to F respectively compared with Group A (3,502.47 ± 224.35 U/ml) while catalase (CAT) activities were increased. Oocysts shed in feces were significantly increased 1-wk postinoculation in B but least in F, cecal lesion scores were similar. Feed intake declined significantly in inoculated groups especially B, alongside weight gain. Feed conversion ratio increased in the inoculated groups. The differences in the activities of the enzymes and MDA level between the supplemented groups and the positive control alongside evaluated parasitological parameters show the antioxidant effect of these supplements.

The effect of the dietary supplements, sugarcane molasses (prebiotic), Antox® (probiotic) and Enflorax® (synbiotic), on gut health, performance and severity of infection with Eimeria tenella in broiler chickens was evaluated in this study. Ninety-day-old broiler chicks were divided into six groups (A, B, C, D, E and F). Groups B to F were challenged with Eimeria tenella (2.0 × 10 4 oocysts/chick). Groups C, D and E were supplemented from day old with prebiotic, probiotic and synbiotic, respectively, while F was administered amprolium. Groups A and B served as negative and positive controls, respectively. Feed intake and performance parameters were assessed weekly for each group. After infection clinical signs, morbidity and mortality rates were monitored alongside oocyst output, gross and microscopic caecal lesions. Infected chickens exhibited clinical signs 4 days post infection (dpi) with 100% morbidity in all infected groups. Infected groups showed significant (P < 0.05) drop in feed intake and weight gain from 3 to 5 weeks of age. Feed conversion ratio was highest in B but lower in the supplemented groups. Oocyst output in faeces were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the supplemented groups compared with B. Macroscopic lesion scores 7 dpi were significantly lower in the supplemented groups compared with B, though group F had the lowest mean score. Histopathological examination of caeca tissues showed milder lesions in the supplemented groups. In conclusion, the supplements prebiotic, probiotic and synbiotic ameliorated the consequences of caecal coccidiosis in broiler chickens and therefore recommended for use in broiler production., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

This study was to assess the anthelminthic potential of Sterospermum kunthianum leaf extract against Ascaridia galli in experimentally infected broiler chickens. The extract and fractions were evaluated for in vitro inhibition and in vivo anthelmintic effects. Acute toxicity studies of extract revealed no sign of toxicity or death in birds at oral dose range of 1000-5000 and was considered safe. There was a concentration dependent decrease on inhibition of A. galli egg embryonation and deparasitization. At 100 mg/ml, albendazole (ALB) caused the highest inhibition of embryonation (195.3 ± 0.9) which was not significantly different from the decrease caused by crude methanol extract (CME) (188 ± 0.9), hexane fraction (HF) (177 ± 1.2) or ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) (168.3 ± 0.9). The highest inhibition rates (%) were 97, 94, 88 and 85 for ALB, CME, HF and EAF, respectively. The deparasitization obtained at day 21 in ALB (95.62%) treated birds was not significantly ( P  > 0.05) different from the 81.27% and 89.24% obtained from the crude methanol treated birds. The deparasitization caused by CME at 400 mg/kg (89.24%) was significantly higher than the one caused by EAF at the same dose (50.19%). Day 21 post treatment, significantly ( P  < 0.05) higher deparasitization was recorded for CME and HF at dosage of 400 mg/kg when compared to 200 mg/kg. Histopathology findings revealed necrosis of the mucosal gland and villi in chickens. In conclusion, the leaf extract and fractions S. kunthianum have been shown to possess anthelmintic activity., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare no conflict of interest., (© Indian Society for Parasitology 2021.)

Crude methanol, pet. ether, ethyl acetate, n-hexane, dichloromethane and aqueous extracts of various species of medicinal plants have shown significant in-vivo and in-vitro pharmacological activities against ecto, endo and haemoparasites. The scientific evaluations of the use of the plants as antiparasitic agents were based on the claims of folklore drawn from traditional healers from various communities across the world. The pharmacological activities of these plants were associated with the presence of various bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, glycosides, allicinine, harmala, harmaline, harman, tetrahydroharman, ursolic acid, terapines, tannins, phenolic compounds, embelin and brucine. These compounds were either found in the leaves, seeds, bulbs, flowers, stem, root barks or entire plant. In the in-vivo studies, plant extracts were tested using animal models such as mice, sheep, goats, cattle and dogs. The in-vivo anthelmintic activities of the plants were assessed by faecal egg out puts and post-mortem worm counts which in most instances achieved 70-90% priori levels with some of the plants. For haemoparasitic infections, parasitaemia clearance levels were used, while larvae and adult deaths were used to measure the activity of the plants against ectoparasites. For in-vitro activities, inhibitory concentration IC50 values using the brine lethality test, micro dilution, flow cytometery and larval packet test were used to assess the efficacy of the plant extracts on the parasites in various cell cultures. Significant in-vitro activity of 99.8% at 3.1mg/ml was achieved with the ethanolic extract of Azadirachta indica. Many of the plants were found to be more potent and possessed similar mechanism of action as their novel synthetic drugs. Such breakthroughs have led to the development of less toxic, cheaper and readily available drugs. Worthy of note is the use of the fruit of the Thai plant Piper longum (PIPERACEAE) as part of a drug formulation used in India for the treatment of clinical giardiosis in human patients.

The effects of host demography, rainfall and season on the prevalence and parasitic load of gastrointestinal parasites of African elephants (Loxodonta africana) of the Chad Basin National Park were determined for the first time. Out of the 274 elephants examined, 36.86% were infected. Of the 178 males examined, 35.96% harboured Strongyloides, Coccidia and Strongyles with worm burdens of 75.6 +/- 0.3, 125.2 +/- 1.4 and 420.2 +/- 0.1, respectively. Among the males, the larvae of Strongyloides papillosus were recovered from those infected with Strongyloides while Haemonchus contortus, Trichostrongylus colubriformis, Murshidia species and Oesophagostomum columbianum were recovered from those infected with Strongyles. Those infected with Coccidia yielded Eimeria bovis. Of the 96 females examined, 38.54% were infected with Coccidia and Strongyles with 102.2 +/- 0.7 Oocysts per Gram of faeces (OPG) and 360.2 +/- 0.1 Eggs per Gram of faeces (EPG), respectively. The helminth larvae recovered from the females infected with Strongyles were; H. contortus, O. columbianum and Murshidia species, while those infected with Coccidia yielded E. bovis. Out of the 213 adults examined, 27.23% were infected with Strongyloides and Strongyles with 187.3 +/- 0.4 and 208.4 +/- 0.1 EPG, respectively. The larvae of S. papillosus were recovered from those infected with Strongyloides, while the larvae of H. contortus, O. columbianum, T. colubriformis and Murshidia were recovered from those infected with Strongyles. Of the 61 young examined, 70.49% were infected with Coccidia and Strongyloides with OPG of 88.4 +/- 0.2 and EPG of 624.4 +/- 0.2. The elephants were mostly infected in the rainy season. The worm burden and prevalence according to sex and age were highest in August. The males and young were more infected than their counterparts. In conclusion, intrinsic and extrinsic factors played a role on the prevalence and worm burden of gastrointestinal parasites of elephants of the Chad Basin National Park.