1
Department of veterinary parasitology, AbharBranch, Islamic Azad University, Abhar, Iran
2
Birjand University of Medical Sciences
10.22092/ari.2024.366916.3307
Abstract
The poultry industry in Iran plays a crucial role in the economy and food security of the country. However, it faces numerous challenges, including the presence of parasitic infections such as Eimeria spp. The aim of this manuscript is to provide a comprehensive morphological and molecular characterization of Eimeria spp. infecting Broiler chickens in Iran. Fresh chicken feces samples (18–45 days old) were collected from a total of 149 farms located in various regions of Iran. The fecal samples were subjected to standard parasitological techniques, including flotation and sedimentation methods, to identify Eimeria oocysts. DNA was extracted from the oocysts and followed by nested PCR using specific primers targeting the ITS1 gene of Eimeria spp. Out of the 149 poultry farms that were examined, 59.7% tested positive for Eimeria spp. Gheidar county showed the highest infection rate among the samples collected, standing at 81.8%. The molecular methods can successfully prove the morphological studies. The prevalence of these species varied, with E. acervulina being the most common (55.7%) in Zanjan province, followed by E. maxima (48.3%), E. mitis (20.1%), E. tenella (20.1%), and E. necatrix (13.4%). Mixed infections with two or more Eimeria species were found in 64 out of 103 (62.1%) positive samples. The most prevalent combination was E. acervulina, E. maxima which were present in 23 out of 101 (22.3%) positive samples. Since vaccination is not currently employed for preventing coccidiosis in broiler production in Iran, the conclusions drawn from this study underscore the significance of implementing reliable chemoprophylactic control measures.
khoini, M. , Bahman Shabestari, A. and solgi, R. (2025). Morphological and Molecular identification of Eimeria spp. Infecting Broiler Chicken Farms in Iran. Archives of Razi Institute, (), -. doi: 10.22092/ari.2024.366916.3307
MLA
khoini, M. , , Bahman Shabestari, A. , and solgi, R. . "Morphological and Molecular identification of Eimeria spp. Infecting Broiler Chicken Farms in Iran", Archives of Razi Institute, , , 2025, -. doi: 10.22092/ari.2024.366916.3307
HARVARD
khoini, M., Bahman Shabestari, A., solgi, R. (2025). 'Morphological and Molecular identification of Eimeria spp. Infecting Broiler Chicken Farms in Iran', Archives of Razi Institute, (), pp. -. doi: 10.22092/ari.2024.366916.3307
CHICAGO
M. khoini , A. Bahman Shabestari and R. solgi, "Morphological and Molecular identification of Eimeria spp. Infecting Broiler Chicken Farms in Iran," Archives of Razi Institute, (2025): -, doi: 10.22092/ari.2024.366916.3307
VANCOUVER
khoini, M., Bahman Shabestari, A., solgi, R. Morphological and Molecular identification of Eimeria spp. Infecting Broiler Chicken Farms in Iran. Archives of Razi Institute, 2025; (): -. doi: 10.22092/ari.2024.366916.3307
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