2019/05/31 by Sandra Noack, H. D. Chapman, H. David Chapman +1 · 2 citations
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Veterinary · #Coccidia and coccidiosis research #Helminth infection and control #Veterinary medicine and infectious diseases
paper · pdf · doi:10.1007/s00436-019-06343-5
openalex publication_date 2019/05/31 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Coccidiosis is a parasitic disease of a wide variety of animals caused by coccidian protozoa. The coccidia are responsible for major economic losses of the livestock industry. For example, the annual cost due to coccidiosis to the global poultry industry has been estimated to exceed US 3 billion annually. Currently available drugs for the control of this disease are either polyether ionophorous antibiotics that are derived from fermentation products, or synthetic compounds, produced by chemical synthesis. Unfortunately, no new drugs in either category have been approved for use for decades. Resistance has been documented for all those of the drugs currently employed and therefore the discovery of novel drugs with unique modes of action is imperative if chemotherapy is to remain the principal means to control this disease. This chapter aims to give an overview of the efficacy and mode of action of the current compounds used to control coccidiosis in livestock and provides a brief outlook of research needs for the future.