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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #372852
Research Project: Detection and Control of Foodborne Parasites for Food Safety

Location: Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory

Title: Prevalence of Eimeria species in sheep (Ovis aries) from Dakahlia governorate, Egypt

Author
item EL-ALFY, EL-SAYED - Mansoura University
item ABBAS, IBRAHIM - Mansoura University
item AL-KAPPANY, YARA - Mansoura University
item AL-ARABY, MOUSTAFA - Mansoura University
item ABU-ELWAFA, SALAH - Mansoura University
item Dubey, Jitender

Submitted to: Journal of Parasitic Diseases
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/6/2020
Publication Date: 5/19/2020
Citation: El-Alfy, E., Abbas, I., Al-Kappany, Y., Al-Araby, M., Abu-Elwafa, S., Dubey, J.P. 2020. Prevalence of Eimeria species in sheep (Ovis aries) from Dakahlia governorate, Egypt. Journal of Parasitic Diseases. 44:559-573. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-020-01229-1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-020-01229-1

Interpretive Summary: Coccidia are a group of single celled parasites. This group of protozoa include important genera: Eimeria, Cystoisospora, Cyclospora, Sarcocystis and Isospora that can cause serious illness in livestock, poultry, and humans and some species are zoonotic (parasites transmitted from animals to humans). Coccidiosis in sheep, caused by Eimeria species, can cause severe disease in lambs worldwide and there are no effective control measures. Here, the authors summarize worldwide reports on epidemiology of Eimeria spp. infections in sheep and provide new data from Egypt. This paper will be of interest to parasitologists, biologists, and veterinarians.

Technical Abstract: Feces from 184 sheep from Dakahlia governorate, Egypt were tested for Eimeria species oocysts by using the standard floatation technique, and oocysts were detected in 126 (68.4%). The prevalence was significantly higher in young sheep than yearlings and adults. Eleven Eimeria species were identified: Eimeria ahsata, Eimeria bakuensis, Eimeria crandallis, Eimeria faurei, Eimeria granulosa, Eimeria intricata, Eimeria marsica, Eimeria ovinoidalis, Eimeria pallida, Eimeria parva and Eimeria webybridgensis. Oocysts of the most pathogenic species, E. ovinoidalis, were detected in 27 (14.6%) sheep. This is the first report of E. webybridgensis in sheep from Egypt, possibly due to close similarity of their oocysts to those of E. crandallis which stated in the earlier reports. Worldwide reports on epidemiology of Eimeria spp. infections in sheep are tabulated.