Eimeria is a genus of Apicomplexan parasites that includes various species responsible for the poultry

Poultry

Poultry are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of producing eggs, meat, and/or feathers. These most typically are members of the superorder Galloanserae , especially the order Galliformes and the family Anatidae , commonly known as "waterfowl"...

 disease coccidiosis. The genus is named for the German zoologist Theodor Eimer

Theodor Eimer

Gustav Heinrich Theodor Eimer was a German zoologist.Eimer was born in Zurich. After spending his junior faculty years as prosector at Julius-Maximillian's University in Würzburg, he became in 1875 a professor of zoology and comparative anatomy at the University of Tübingen.He is credited with...

. The oocysts of Eimeria steidai were first seen by Antoni van Leeuwenhoek in the bile of a rabbit

Rabbit

Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...

 in 1674.

Description

The Coccidia genera can be identified from oocysts:

Eimeria - four sporocyst

Sporocyst

Sporocyst is a common name of a lifecycle stage in two unrelated groups of species:*Apicomplexa parasites: see Apicomplexa lifecycle stages*Trematode flatworms: see Trematode lifecycle stages...

s, each containing two sporozoites

Wenyonella - four sporocysts, each containing four sporozoites

Tyzzeria

Tyzzeria

Tyzzeria is a genus of parasitic protozoa that with one exception infect the cells of the small intestine.-History:The genus Tyzzeria was first described by Allen in 1936....

 - eight sporozoites, not contained in sporocysts

Isospora

Isospora

Isospora is a genus of internal parasites classified under Coccidia.It is responsible for the condition isosporiasis.At least 248 species have been described in this genus, but most of them are little studied and it is doubtful whether all should be recognized as distinct species...

 - two sporocysts, each containing four sporozoites

Taxonomy

The Eimeria lie within the family Eimeriidae. This genus has ~75% of the species within this family, and it is the most specious of the genera of the Apicomplexia with 1,700 described species.

Attempts to subdivide this large taxonomic unit into separate genera have been made.

The Eimeria of fish have been divided into four genera based on available morphologic and life
cycle data.

Eimeria: these species are tetrasporocystic with dizoic, nonbivalved sporocysts with or without Stieda bodies

Stieda body

The Stieda body is an organelle located at the polar region of the sporocyst of some coccidia visible with electron microscopy. It appears as a knob like structure and is a plug occluding a hole in the sporocyst. The breakdown of this body allows excystation of the sporozoites....

. This new genus retains the majority of the species.

Goussia

Goussia

Goussia is a genus of parasitic protozoa belonging to the phylum Apicomplexia. Although most species in this genus infect fish but a small number infect frogs.-Description:...

 (Labbe 1896): These species are tetrasporocystic, dizoic, lack Stieda bodies and have sporocyst walls consisting of two valves joined by a longitudinal suture. This genus contains about 20 species.

Crystallospora (Labbe 1896) The species in this genus is tetrasporocystic, dizoic and has dodecahedral sporocysts composed of two hexagonal, pyrimidal valves joined at their bases by a suture. This genus contains a single species Crystallospora cristalloides (Thelohan 1893).

Epieimeria (Dykova and Lorn 1981): the species in this genus are tetrasporocystic, dizoic, possess Stieda bodies and undergo merogony and gametogony on the lumenal surface of the intestinal tract. There are three species in this genus.

Pathology

Symptoms of Eimeria infection include bloody diarrhea

Diarrhea

Diarrhea , also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day. It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and...

 due to intestinal epithelium

Epithelium

Epithelium is one of the four basic types of animal tissue, along with connective tissue, muscle tissue and nervous tissue. Epithelial tissues line the cavities and surfaces of structures throughout the body, and also form many glands. Functions of epithelial cells include secretion, selective...

 dying off when a large number of oocysts and merozoites burst out of the cells. Necrotic

Necrosis

Necrosis is the premature death of cells in living tissue. Necrosis is caused by factors external to the cell or tissue, such as infection, toxins, or trauma. This is in contrast to apoptosis, which is a naturally occurring cause of cellular death...

 tissue clogs the cecum

Cecum

The cecum or caecum is a pouch, connecting the ileum with the ascending colon of the large intestine. It is separated from the ileum by the ileocecal valve or Bauhin's valve, and is considered to be the beginning of the large intestine. It is also separated from the colon by the cecocolic...

, causing the organ to die.

Clinical

Medications are available for the parasite; however, drug resistance

Drug resistance

Drug resistance is the reduction in effectiveness of a drug such as an antimicrobial or an antineoplastic in curing a disease or condition. When the drug is not intended to kill or inhibit a pathogen, then the term is equivalent to dosage failure or drug tolerance. More commonly, the term is used...

 is common as well as possible drug residues in the meat once the animal is butchered. Vaccine

Vaccine

A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe or its toxins...

s have been developed but one vaccine will only cover one species and not others. So far the best practice is to vaccinate the chicks once they hatch from the egg so they are immune for life.

Host range

All mammalian coccidia are considered to be host-specific, but a limited number of exceptions to this rule have been identified.

Thirty-one species are known to occur in bats (Chiroptera) and two in turtles.

One-hundred and thirty named species infect fish.

Two species (E. phocae and E. weddelli) infect seals.

Five species infect llamas and alpacas - E. alpacae, E. ivitaensis, E. lamae, E. macusaniensis and E. punonensis.

A number of species infect rodents, including E. couesii, E. kinsellai, E. palustris, E. ojastii and E. oryzomysi.

Others infect poultry (E. necatrix and E. tenella), rabbits (E. stiedae) and cattle (E. bovis, E. ellipsoidalis and E. zuernii).

Genomics

A genome sequencing project is in progress. The species chosen is Eimeria tenella. The genome is ~60 megabases in size and has a GC content of ~53%. There are 14 chromosomes that range in size from 1 megabase to >6 megabases.

Fish

Eimeria aurati - goldfish (Carassius auratus)

Eimeria baueri -crucian carp (Carassius carassius)

Eimeria lepidosirenis - lungfish (Lepidosiren paradoxa)

Eimeria leucisci - barbel (Barbus barbus bocagei

Barbus barbus

Barbus barbus is a species of freshwater fish in the Cyprinidae family of minnows and carps. It shares the common name "barbel" with its many relatives in the genus Barbus and is properly known as the Common Barbel.B...

)

Eimeria rutili - Europena chub (Leuciscus cephalus cabeda), Iberian nase (Chondrostoma polylepis polylepis)

Eimeria vanasi - blue tilapia (Oreochromis aurea)

Reptiles

Eimeria amphisbaeniarum - Mann's worm lizard (Amphisbaena manni)

Eimeria witcheri - Mann's worm lizard (Amphisbaena manni)

Eimeria yemenensae - rock agama (Agama yemenensis)

Birds

Eimeria acervulina - chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus)

Eimeria adenoeides - turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

Eimeria brunetti - chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus)

Eimeria colchici - pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)

Eimeria curvata - ruddy ground dove (Columbina talpacoti), scaled dove (Scardafella squammata)

Eimeria dispersa - turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

Eimeria duodenalis - pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)

Eimeria fraterculae - Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica)

Eimeria gallopavonis - turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

Eimeria praecox - chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus)

Eimeria maxima - chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus)

Eimeria meleagrimitis - turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

Eimeria mitis - chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus)

Eimeria necatrix - chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus)

Eimeria phasiani - pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)

Eimeria procera - grey partridges (Perdix perdix)

Eimeria tenella - rock partridge (Alectoris graeca), chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus)

Mammals

Eimeria ahsata - goat (Capra hircus), sheep (Ovis aries)

Eimeria alabamensis - cattle (Bos taurus)

Eimeria alijevi - goat (Capra hircus)

Eimeria apsheronica - goat (Capra hircus)

Eimeria arloingi - goat (Capra hircus)

Eimeria arundeli - common wombat (Vombatus ursinus)

Eimeria bakuensis - sheep (Ovis aries)

Eimeria bovis - cattle (Bos taurus)

Eimeria cameli - camels (Camelus bactrianus,Camelus dromedarius)

Eimeria caprina - goat (Capra hircus)

Eimeria caprovina - goat (Capra hircus)

Eimeria christenseni - goat (Capra hircus)

Eimeria clethrionomyis - red-backed vole (Clethrionomys gapperi)

Eimeria coecicola - rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Eimeria contorta - mouse (Mus musculus)

Eimeria couesii - rice rat (Oryzomys couesi)

Eimeria crandallis - sheep (Ovis aries)

Eimeria dammahensis - scimitar-homed oryx (Oryx dammah)

Eimeria dowleri - eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis)

Eimeria exigua - rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Eimeria falciformis - mouse (Mus musculus)

Eimeria farasanii - mountain gazelle (Gazella gazelle farasani)

Eimeria ferrisi - mouse (Mus musculus)

Eimeria flavescens - rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Eimeria gallatii - red-backed vole (Clethrionomys gapperi)

Eimeria granulosa - goat (Capra hircus)

Eimeria hirci - goat (Capra hircus)

Eimeria intestinalis - rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Eimeria irresidua - rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Eimeria intricata - goat (Capra hircus)

Eimeria jolchijevi - goat (Capra hircus)

Eimeria krijgsmanni - mouse (Mus musculus)

Eimeria larimerensis - Uinta ground squirrel (Spermophilus armatus)

Eimeria macusaniensis - llamas (Lama glama), guanacos (Lama guanicoe), alpacas (Vicugna pacos), vicunas (Vicugna vicugna)

Eimeria magna - rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Eimeria marconii - red-backed vole (Clethrionomys gapperi)

Eimeria media - rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Eimeria melanuri - garden dormouse (Eliomys quercinus)

Eimeria myoxi - garden dormouse (Eliomys quercinus)

Eimeria nagpurensis - rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Eimeria ninakohlyakimovae - goat (Capra hircus)

Eimeria ovinoidalis - sheep (Ovis aries)

Eimeria pallida - goat (Capra hircus)

Eimeria palustris - marsh rice rat (Oryzomys palustris)

Eimeria papillata - mouse (Mus musculus)

Eimeria perforans - rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Eimeria phocae - Sable Island

Sable Island

Sable Island is a small Canadian island situated 300 km southeast of mainland Nova Scotia in the Atlantic Ocean. The island is a year-round home to approximately five people...

 harbour seals (Phoca vitulina)

Eimeria pileata - red-backed vole (Clethrionomys gapperi)

Eimeria pipistrellus - Kuhl's Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus kuhlii)

Eimeria piriformis - rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Eimeria prionotemni - Bennett's wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus)

Eimeria procyonis - raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Eimeria punctata - goat (Capra hircus)

Eimeria roobroucki - rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Eimeria saudiensis - Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx)

Eimeria sealanderi - eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis)

Eimeria separata - mouse (Mus musculus), rat (Rattus rattus)

Eimeria stiedae - rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Eimeria ursini - southern hairy nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus latifrons)

Eimeria vermiformis - mice (Mus musculus)

Eimeria weybridgensis - sheep (Ovis aries)

Eimeria wobati - southern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus latifrons)

Eimeria zuernii - cattle (Bos taurus)

List of species

Eimeria abramovi

Eimeria acervulina

Eimeria acervulina

Eimeria acervulina is a species of Eimeria that causes coccidiosis in older poultry. Lesions are limited to the anterior or first third of the small intestine. Diagnosis is made by on necropsy based on location and the pathognomic white to gray striations that appear on the mucosa or inner surface...

Eimeria adenoides

Eimeria ahsata

Eimeria airculensis

Eimeria alabamensis

Eimeria albigulae

Eimeria alijevi

Eimeria alpacae

Eimeria amphisbaeniarum

Eimeria anatis

Eimeria anguillae

Eimeria ankarensis

Eimeria anseris

Eimeria arizonensis

Eimeria arabukosokokensis

Eimeria arnyi

Eimeria arundeli

Eimeria anseris

Eimeria arkhari

Eimeria arloingi

Eimeria aspheronica

Eimeria auburnensis

Eimeria augusta

Eimeria aurati

Eimeria aythyae

Eimeria azerbaidschanica

Eimeria bactriani

Eimeria bakuensis

Eimeria bareillyi

Eimeria baueri

Eimeria battakhi

Eimeria beckeri

Eimeria beecheyi

Eimeria berkinbaevi

Eimeria brinkmanni

Eimeria bombaynsis

Eimeria bonasae

Eimeria boschadis

Eimeria bovis

Eimeria brantae

Eimeria brasiliensis

Eimeria brevoortiana

Eimeria brinkmanni

Eimeria brunetti

Eimeria brunetti

Eimeria brunetti is a species of Eimeria that causes hemorrhagic intestinal coccidiosis in young poultry. Lesions are limited to lower small intestine....

Eimeria bucephalae

Eimeria bufomarini

Eimeria bufomarini

Eimeria bufomarini is a species of coccidium, known to infect the epithelial cells of the intestines of Brazilian Cane Toads....

Eimeria bukidnonensis

Eimeria burdai

Eimeria callospermophili

Eimeria californicenis

Eimeria cameli

Eimeria canadensis

Eimeria canis

Eimeria caprina

Eimeria caprovina

Eimeria carinii

Eimeria carpelli

Eimeria catostomi

Eimeria catronensis

Eimeria caviae

Eimeria cerdonis

Eimeria citelli

Eimeria chelydrae

Eimeria christenseni

Eimeria clarkei

Eimeria clethrionomyis

Eimeria coecicola

Eimeria colchici

Eimeria columbae

Eimeria columbarum

Eimeria contorta

Eimeria coturnicus

Eimeria couesii

Eimeria couesii

Eimeria couesii is an apicomplexan parasite of the genus Eimeria that infects the intestine of the rice rat Oryzomys couesi in Mexico. It has an oocyst residuum and Stieda bodies, structures that are absent in some other Eimeria....

Eimeria crandallis

Eimeria crassa

Eimeria curvata

Eimeria cylindrica

Eimeria cynomysis

Eimeria cyprini

Eimeria dammahensis

Eimeria danailovi

Eimeria danielle

Eimeria debliecki

Eimeria deserticola

Eimeria dispersa

Eimeria dolichotis

Eimeria dromedarii

Eimeria duszynskii

Eimeria ellipsoidalis

Eimeria elongata

Eimeria etheostomae

Eimeria eutamiae

Eimeria exigua

Eimeria falciformis

Eimeria fanthami

Eimeria farasanii

Eimeria farra

Eimeria faurei

Eimeria fernandoae

Eimeria ferrisi

Eimeria filamentifera

Eimeria franklinii

Eimeria fraterculae

Eimeria fraterculae

Eimeria fraterculae is a species of protist belonging to the family Eimeriidae. It causes renal coccidiosis in the Atlantic puffin ....

Eimeria freemani

Eimeria fulva

Eimeria funduli

Eimeria gallatii

Eimeria gallopavonis

Eimeria gasterostei

Eimeria gilruthi

Eimeria glenorensis

Eimeria gokaki

Eimeria gonzalei

Eimeria gorakhpuri

Eimeria granulosa

Eimeria grenieri

Eimeria guevarai

Eimeria hagani

Eimeria haneki

Eimeria hasei

Eimeria hawkinsi

Eimeria hermani

Eimeria hindlei

Eimeria hirci

Eimeria hoffmani

Eimeria hoffmeisteri

Eimeria hybognathi

Eimeria ictaluri

Eimeria illinoisensis

Eimeria innocua

Eimeria intestinalis

Eimeria intricata

Eimeria iroquoina

Eimeria irresidua

Eimeria ivitaensis

Eimeria judoviciani

Eimeria kinsellai

Eimeria kinsellai

Eimeria kinsellai is an apicomplexan parasite of the genus Eimeria that infects the marsh rice rat . It was discovered in 1970 at Paynes Prairie, Alachua County, Florida. A different Eimeria, Eimeria palustris, has been found in Alabama marsh rice rats...

Eimeria koganae

Eimeria kotlani

Eimeria krijgsmanni

Eimeria krylovi

Eimeria kunmingensis

Eimeria lagopodi

Eimeria lamae

Eimeria langebarteli

Eimeria larimerensis

Eimeria lateralis

Eimeria laureleus

Eimeria lepidosirenis

Eimeria leucisci

Eimeria ludoviciani

Eimeria macusaniensis

Eimeria magnalabia

Eimeria marconii

Eimeria maxima

Eimeria maxima

Eimeria maxima is a species of Eimeria that causes coccidiosis in poultry. The lesions it causes are limited to the middle of the small intestine....

Eimeria melanuri

Eimeria meleagridis

Eimeria meleagridis

Eimeria meleagrimitis is a species of Eimeria that causes congestion or petechia from the duodenum to the ileum with dilation of the jejunum and mucosal cast in the small intestines of turkeys. This moderate to severe pathogen is confirmed on necropsy followed by scrapings to view the oocysts under...

Eimeria menzbieri

Eimeria micropteri

Eimeria minasensis

Eimeria mitis

Eimeria monacis

Eimeria morainensis

Eimeria moronei

Eimeria mulardi

Eimeria muta

Eimeria myoxi

Eimeria myoxocephali

Eimeria natricis

Eimeria necatrix

Eimeria necatrix

Eimeria necatrix is a species of Eimeria that causes very severe intestinal coccidiosis in older poultry characterized by congestion, hemorrhage, necrosis of the intestine and bloody feces. Very large schizonts can be seen as white or yellow dots and oocysts can be found occasionally in the ceca....

Eimeria neitzi

Eimeria nieschulzi

Eimeria nigricani

Eimeria nocens

Eimeria nyroca

Eimeria ojastii

Eimeria ojibwana

Eimeria onychomysis

Eimeria oryzomysi

Eimeria os

Eimeria osmeri

Eimeria ovata

Eimeria ovinoidalis

Eimeria palustris

Eimeria palustris

Eimeria palustris is an apicomplexan parasite of the genus Eimeria that infects the marsh rice rat . It was discovered in 1970 at Tuskegee National Forest, Macon County, Alabama. A different Eimeria, Eimeria kinsellai, has been found in Florida marsh rice rats...

Eimeria papillata

Eimeria parvula

Eimeria pigra

Eimeria pilarensis

Eimeria pileata

Eimeria pipistrellus

Eimeria phocae

Eimeria praecox

Eimeria prionotemni

Eimeria pseudospermophili

Eimeria pulchella

Eimeria pungitii

Eimeria punonensis

Eimeria ranae

Eimeria reedi

Eimeria reichenowi

Eimeria ribarrensis

Eimeria rjupa

Eimeria rutili

Eimeria salvelini

Eimeria saitamae

Eimeria saudiensis

Eimeria separata

Eimeria schachdagica

Eimeria sevilletensis

Eimeria sinensis

Eimeria sipedon

Eimeria somateriae

Eimeria spermophili

Eimeria squali

Eimeria stiedai

Eimeria stigmosa

Eimeria striata

Eimeria subepithelialis

Eimeria surki

Eimeria tamiasciuri

Eimeria tedlai

Eimeria tenella

Eimeria tenella

Eimeria tenella is a species of Eimeria that causes hemorrhagic cecal coccidiosis in young poultry.This species has a monoxeous life cycle with the definitive host as chickens; it is extremely host-specific...

Eimeria truncata

Eimeria truttae

Eimeria uekii

Eimeria uniungulati

Eimeria ursini

Eimeria vilasi

Eimeria weddelli

Eimeria weybridgensis

Eimeria witcheri

Eimeria vanasi

Eimeria vermiformis

Eimeria volgensis

Eimeria wobati

Eimeria wyomingensis

Eimeria yemenensae

Eimeria yukonensis

Eimeria zuernii