Development of Anticoccidial Sensitivity Test (AST) to evaluate the efficacy of treatments against Eimeria spp. in poultry farms

• Grant number: 17/15838-0
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: March 01, 2020
• End date: June 30, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Pathology
• Principal Investigator: Luiz Eduardo de Melo Mafra Machado
• Grantee: Luiz Eduardo de Melo Mafra Machado
• Company: Centro de Amparo à Pesquisa Veterinária Ltda
• CNAE: Criação de aves ; Atividades veterinárias
• City: Amparo

Abstract

Coccidiosis is a parasitic disease highly relevant to the poultry industry worldwide. This disease caused by protozoa of the genus Eimeria spp. It is directly related to the reduction of the final weight of commercial chicken carcasses in the poultry industry around the world. There are different species of Eimeria spp., and these affect different regions of the intestinal tract mucosae and as lesions are responsible for the destruction of the intestinal epithelium in variable degrees. The main method for the control of these avian pathogens is based on the use of anticoccidial or coccidiostatic drugs in the feed. These formulations were obtained mainly in the 1950s, and new alternatives have not yet been obtained. Currently, there is an high degree of resistance to these drugs, and the poultry industry uses high doses to diminish the harm caused by these protozoa. Treatment is often carried out empirically, without considering important information on the resistance profile of the strains present in each poultry farm. Drug costs are high and often ineffective. In addition, there are tolerance limits on the medicines on the poultry products, which are regulated by importing markets, the European Union, Asia, the Middle East, etc. Overdoses considered toxic for consumption, may cause the return of exported Brazilian poultry meat. Currently, the Anticoccidal Sensitivity Test (AST) technique has been performed in the major poultry meat producing countries to obtain more accurate and relevant data on circulating strains. This technique is performed in experimental facilities and evaluates in vivo the efficacy of any drug use against coccidiosis, directly over the strains circulating in the client farm. Thus, it is possible to perform therapies with improved efficacy, adjusted without overdoses, which are not adequate for the final product. Currently the AST technique is not offered commercially in Brazil due to its high cost of implementation and need to be carried out in suitable experimental facilities. Thus, as therapies throughout the Brazilian poultry industry, show low efficacy, and have caused disease-related damages and high expenses of many different medications. The main objective of this project is to implement the AST in the company Centro de Amparo à Pesquisa Veterinária (CAPEV), in Amparo-SP, bringing a new tool for an improvement to control this disease, making this service commercially available to the national poultry industry. (AU)