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[[Image:Coccidia ruminant.jpg|thumb|right|150px|''Eimeria'' sp. of ruminants - Joaquim Castellà Veterinary Parasitology Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona]]

[[Image:Coccidia ruminant.jpg|thumb|right|150px|<i>Eimeria</i> sp. of ruminants - Joaquim Castellà Veterinary Parasitology Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona]] [[Image:Coccidia oocyst ruminant.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Coccidia oocyst from ruminant faeces - Joaquim Castellà Veterinary Parasitology Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona]]  

[[Image:Coccidia oocyst ruminant.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Coccidia oocyst from ruminant faeces - Joaquim Castellà Veterinary Parasitology Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona]]

*2-3 week prepatent period

Coccidiosis is primarily a disease of groups of cattle less than one year old. It often occurs if these groups are housed or kept in unhygienic conditions, as like coccidiosis in other species, coccidiosis in cattle is a disease of over-crowding and poor hygiene. Calves with concurrent infections or ones&nbsp;with poor&nbsp;body condition are also susceptable. Bought-in calves that are then mixed with current stock is one of the primary causes of the disease and clinical signs are usually appa<span id="fck_dom_range_temp_1299253210635_717" />rent around a month after this event has occured.

Infection is usually sporadic, but once immunity has developed it is likely not to reoccur. During the neonatal period, passive immunity is sufficient, only after this wanes are clincal signs of the disease apparent.

**Endogenous stages in central lacteal of villi and epithelial cells of [[Caecum - Anatomy & Physiology|caecum]] and [[Colon - Anatomy & Physiology|colon]]

*''Eimeria zuernii''

There are many species of coccidia that affect cattle, but Eimeria zuernii, E. bovis and E. alabamensis are by far the most common. E. zuernii is the most pathogenic of these species.&nbsp;

**Endogenous stages in connective tissue of lamina propria of the lower [[Small Intestine Overview - Anatomy & Physiology|small intestine]] and in the epithelial cells of the [[Caecum - Anatomy & Physiology|caecum]] and [[Colon - Anatomy & Physiology|colon]]

*Can be concurrent with cryptosporidium, viral and bacterial agents

All species of coccidia produce diarrhoea or dysentry with&nbsp;notible tenesmus.

History and clinical signs plus husbandry and signalment of animals is indicative of the disease.

*Improve husbandry

**Raise food and water troughs to avoid faecal contamination

*Preventative in-feed medication

Faecal samples should be taken for faecal floatation and microscopic examination for oocysts. High numbers of oocysts are indicative of clinical disease as small numbers of oocysts are present in all cattle. If the faecal sample is taken after the main oocyst production phase has passed then number will be low even in severely affected animals.

**E.g. Decoquinate

*Injectable antiprotozoals may limit oocyst production but animals should still be moved to a clean environment

Post mortem examination will reveal diffuse inflammation and thickening of caecal mucosa (and sometimes ileal and colonic mucosa). Scrapings of the mucosa should be taken and viewed microscopically. In an infected animal&nbsp;masses of gamonts and oocysts will be present&nbsp;in these scrapings.

**E.g. Sulphamethoxypyridazine

[[Category:Coccidia]][[Category:Intestinal Diseases - Cattle]]

[[Category:To_Do_-_Kate]]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[[Category:Coccidia]] [[Category:Intestinal_Diseases_-_Cattle]] [[Category:To_Do_-_Review]]