COCCIDIOSIS CONTROL IN THE EUROPEAN UNION. CURRENT SITUATION AND FUTURE CHALLENGES

Avian coccidiosis is one of the most important diseases affecting the intensive poultry industry worldwide. Despite its outstanding importance and well-known relation with other factors that may influence the health status of the birds and its commercial performance, few studies are available on the distribution of Eimeria species in the field. In Europe the studies available until the present date are, Czech Republic(Ku?era, 1990), France(Williams, 1996), UK(Chapman, 1982, Shirley 1995, Shirley 1997, Williams 2006, Eckert 1995), Norway(Haug, 2008)and Sweden(Thebo, 1998). Most of the published studies have been focused on identifying the seven species of Eimeria which affect Gallus gallus in a European country. However, the only survey that has been done exclusively with samples from broiler farms of Norway is Haug, 2008. In the present study, litter samples obtained in broiler farms from Spain, Belgium, Italy and France were evaluated for the presence of Eimeria species. The evaluation was done using a polymerase chain reaction(PCR) developed at IAH to specifically detect E.acervulina, E.maxima, E.mitis, E.praecox and E.tenella. Together with this molecular tool, oocyst counts and a morphometric evaluation test were also used to analyse the samples. Results obtained provide interesting data on the prevalence of species which affect the broiler birds in Europe as well as the percentage of farms with presence of each species. Together with prevalence data, rotation programs(anticoccidials-vaccines) appear to be of paramount importance to upgrade the flock performances. Data obtained in farms from the Netherlands confirms the advantage of using rotation programs with vaccines composed of Eimeria strains sensitive to anticoccidials.