Cytokine Expression, Immune Responses, Hematology and Growth Performance of Eimeria Tennela Infected Broiler Chickens Treated with Essential Oils

Coccidiosis is a protozoan disease of poultry with high economic significance. In current study, a total of 50 caeca samples with a history of bloody diarrhea were collected. The samples were subjected to DNA extraction, followed by PCR of ITS-1 gene. It was observed that isolated Eimeria tenella was closely related to isolates of China, India, and the USA, with mild observable heterology in oligonucleotide sequences. The isolated Eimeria tenella was used in the experimental study. A total of 80 chicks were divided into the 4 groups from G1-G4. G1 was kept as negative control. The chicks in the G2 were treated with Eimeria tenella @ 4.0 x105/ml. In the G3 the chicks were treated with Eimeria tenella and essential oil @ 0.25ml/L drinking water. In the G4 the chicks were treated with Eimeria tenella and Amprolium, @ 0.25ml/L. At different days samples were collected and different parameters were studied. A significant decrease in pathological lesions were observed in birds of infected and essential oil-treated groups. Similarly, the essential oil-treated group found a significant decrease in oocysts count; however, no significant difference was found in hematological values. The essential oil-treated group showed a decrease in mortality rate and improved weight gain and FCR. Eimeria tenella-infected birds had high values of interferon-gamma and IL-10 (interleukin 10) as compared to the normal group. In vitro, the essential oil also proved an anticoccidial agent as significantly sporulation of oocysts was reduced (P<0.05). We conclude that the essential oil blends can be used as an alternative measure to the chemotherapeutic agent to control the coccidiosis in the poultry industry.