Zinc Supplementation against Eimeria acervulina-Induced Oxidative Damage in Broiler Chickens

This study was undertaken to determine the dietary supplements of Zn containing diet on the antioxidant status in chickens experimentally infected with Eimeria acervulina. The antioxidant status was monitored via determination of MDA concentrations and erythrocyte SOD and CAT activities, as well as vitamin E, vitamin C, Cu, and Zn in liver, muscle, and serum. The results showed increased MDA (P < .05), CAT (P < .001), and decreased SOD (P < .001) in the infected birds. Significant changes in Cu and Zn concentrations and dramatically reduction of vitamin C and E concentrations in the infected chickens were found. The observed deviations in the studied enzymes and nonenzymatic parameters evidence the occurrence of oxidative stress following the infection and impaired antioxidant status of chickens, infected with Eimeria acervulina. Our results proved the ameliorating role of CuZn(OH)3Cl (0.170 g per kg food) against Eimeria acervulina-induced oxidative damage in infected chickens

Coccidian Infection Causes Oxidative Damage in Greenfinches

The main tenet of immunoecology is that individual variation in immune responsiveness is caused by the costs of immune responses to the hosts. Oxidative damage resulting from the excessive production of reactive oxygen species during immune response is hypothesized to form one of such costs. We tested this hypothesis in experimental coccidian infection model in greenfinches Carduelis chloris. Administration of isosporan coccidians to experimental birds did not affect indices of antioxidant protection (TAC and OXY), plasma triglyceride and carotenoid levels or body mass, indicating that pathological consequences of infection were generally mild. Infected birds had on average 8% higher levels of plasma malondialdehyde (MDA, a toxic end-product of lipid peroxidation) than un-infected birds. The birds that had highest MDA levels subsequent to experimental infection experienced the highest decrease in infection intensity. This observation is consistent with the idea that oxidative stress is a causative agent in the control of coccidiosis and supports the concept of oxidative costs of immune responses and parasite resistance. The finding that oxidative damage accompanies even the mild infection with a common parasite highlights the relevance of oxidative stress biology for the immunoecological research

Antioxidant status in Eimeria acervulina infected chickens after dietary selenium treatment

The effect of sodium selenite on the antioxidant status in broiler chickens infected with Eimeria acervulina was studied. Antioxidant status was measured via blood plasma malonyl dialdehyde (MDA), serum glutathione peroxidase (GPx), erythrocyte catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and plasma levels of selenium (Se), vitamins A, C and E with respect to parasitological and production traits. The study was performed on 100, 20-day old broiler chickens. Four groups of chickens were formed: the 1st - control, the 2nd - control and received Na2SeO3 (0.3 mg/kg diet for 10 days), the 3rd - infected with 3 × 105 sporulated E. acervulina oocysts and the 4th - infected with E. acervulina oocysts and received the same dose Na 2SeO3. Blood samples were taken on Day 8 after the first inoculation. Increased MDA and CAT, reduced SOD and GPx and Se content, and hypovitaminoses A, C and E in the infected chicks, compared to the healthy controls were observed. The changes in the small intestine, lesion scores and oocyst index, and body weight were indicative for a severe E. acervulina infection. Inorganic Se supplementation increased vitamin E, Se content, pGPx-activity, and improved body weights, but it did not influence the parasitological indices. ©2011 Dustri-Verlag Dr. K. Feistle

Influence of selenium and Eimeria tenella infection on antioxidant status in chickens

The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of selenium-yeast (Selp-lex 50, Alltech, Inc. Nicholasville, KY, USA) on the antioxidant defense system (vitamin A, C and E, enzyme GPx, Se and MDA), oocyst and lesion index, and body weights in chickens experimentally infected with Eimeria tenella. 100 clinically healthy broiler chickens, Cobb 500 hybrids, were divided into 4 groups. Chickens from the first group were untreated and non-infected (control group). The second group consisted of non-infected chickens having received Sel-plex in the food from the 1st day of hatching to the end of the experiment. The chickens in Groups 3 and 4 were individually infected with 8.104 sporulated oocyst of E. tenella on Day 17 post-hatching. The fodder of chickens in Group 4 was supplemented with Sel-plex like the first group. Sel-plex was added at a level of 0.3 mg/kg diet. Liver and serum samples were collected for biochemical analyses on 7th day post infection (dpi). Body weights were check on 1st and 7th dpi. Ceca of infected chickens were scored for lesions and oocyst index on 7 dpi. During the acute stage of eimeriosis an antioxidant imbalance was developed in the liver of the infected chickens. Hypovitaminoses A, Cand E, reduced Se level and GPx-activity and increased MDA were observed. Sel-plex supplementation increased liver vitamin E, Se level and serum GPx-activity, improved body weights in the control and in the infected chickens but did not influence parasitological status. Diet complementation with Sel-plex could be beneficial for the hosts in the treatment of parasitic diseases correlated with high levels of oxidative stress. © 2009 Dustri-Verlag Dr. K. Feistle