Coccidiosis of chickens is an intestinal disease caused by protozoa of the genus Eimeria. It results in tissue damage, leading to malabsorption of nutrients, dehydration and susceptibility to secondary infections. Coccidiosis is therefore an economically important disease, which can lead to significant losses if not managed effectively.
A more rapid means for determining the Eimeria species present has been previously described by Morgan et al. (2009). This project utilised this method to establish the test as a diagnostic assay available to the Australian poultry industry.
This RIRDC report is targeted at both chicken meat /egg producers and veterinarians in the Australian poultry industry.