Veterinary Protozoal Infections

Flashcards covering major veterinary protozoal infections, focusing on coccidiosis, trypanosomosis, and babesiosis, including causative agents, life cycles, and pharmacological treatments.

Eimeria

The genus that is the commonest cause of Coccidiosis in poultry and livestock.

Eimeria tenella

The most pathogenic species of coccidia responsible for caecal coccidiosis in poultry.

Eimeria necatrix

The Eimeria species that causes intestinal coccidiosis in birds.

Coccidiosis clinical signs

Symptoms include diarrhea, bloody faeces, emaciation, ruffled feathers, inappetence, and a drooping posture.

Shuttle program

An integrated control method for coccidiosis using two or more drugs of different classes sequentially during the birds’ growth period.

Rotation program

A control method involving switching to different classes of anticoccidials with subsequent crops of birds.

Sulfonamides mechanism

These drugs compete with PABA for incorporation into the folic acid molecule and competitively inhibit dihydropteroate synthase.

Sulfonamides selective action

Selection occurs because microbes must synthesize folic acid, whereas mammalian host cells use pre-formed folic acid from their diet.

Amprolium

A drug that is highly effective against $E. tenella$ by competitively inhibiting the uptake of thiamine (vitamin $B_1$).

Clopidol

An anticoccidial that selectively inhibits the electron transport chain and is mainly a preventive agent effective against sporozoites.

Diclazuril

A highly potent drug used as a premix against chicken, turkey, and rabbit coccidia, effective against both schizonts and gametocytes with a zero-day withdrawal period.

Halofuginone

An anticoccidial obtained from extracts of Hydrangea species, effective against asexual stages but possessing a low safety margin.

Ionophores

Antibiotics obtained from Streptomyces (e.g., monensin, salinomycin) that affect osmotic balance by causing $Na^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, and $K^+$ influx.

Trypanosomiasis vectors

Tsetse flies of the genus Glossina, including $G. morsitans$ (savannah), $G. palpalis$ (riverine), and $G. fusca$ (forest).

Trypanosoma congolense

The most pathogenic species of trypanosome in cattle.

Anemia

The cardinal clinical sign of Trypanosomiasis, often leading to a drop in PCV, Hb, and RBC levels to less than $50\%$ within two months.

Diminazene aceturate

An odorless yellow powder effective against $T. congolense$, $T. vivax$, and babesiosis.

Isometamidium chloride

A trypanocidal drug administered by deep IM injection that provides considerable prophylactic activity for up to 6 months.

Quinapyramine

A drug combination where the sulfate provides a short curative effect and the chloride provides a long-acting prophylactic effect against trypanosomes.

Babesiosis

Also known as Red Water, a tick-borne disease characterized by hemoglobinuria, jaundice, and parasites in RBCs.

Boophilus decolaratus

The main tick vector for Babesiosis in Eastern Africa.

Imidocarb dipropionate

A drug used for treatment and prophylaxis of babesiosis and anaplasmosis with a withdrawal period of at least 28 days.

Quinuronium sulfate

A treatment for babesiosis that cures infection but does not eradicate it, allowing for the development of immunity in endemic areas.