Pathological effect of dietary ochratoxin A and Eimeria tenella infection alone and in combination in broilers*

Abstract

Experimentally, ochratoxicosis and coccidiosis were induced singly and in combination in 6 groups of broilers each consisting of 25 chicks. Ochratoxicosis was induced by feeding with dietary ochratoxin A (OA) at a concentration of 0.5 and 1 ppm for 23 days. Coccidiosis was induced by inoculating 50 000 sporulated oocysts of E. tenella at 14th day. The combination of ochratoxicosis and coccidosis was induced in 2 groups by feeding them with dietary OA at 0.5 and 1 ppm, and subsequently infecting with 50 000 oocysts of E. tenella at 14th day of age. There was no mortality in groups 1 and 3. The mortality recorded in combined groups were higher i.e. 12 and 20% against 4% in the groups which received either of the treatment. Highly significant increase in lesion score was also observed in combined groups at 7 days post inoculation, possiblydue to additive and immunosuppressive effect of OA and E. tenella evidenced by massive haemorrhage in acute stage coccidial infection.