Summary
A strong repulsion of epithelial tissue into the intestinal lumen associated with a lowered intestinal pH, thin liquid intestinal contents and leakage of serumprotein into the lumen was observed in E. acervulina immunized birds, some hours following oral reinfection. The extruded epithelial tissue degenerated and died in the lumen; massive numbers of dying cells could also be observed in tissue sections of the intestinal contents. Most likely the sporozoites are pushed off together with the cells. The repulsion was always associated with a prominent swelling of the muscles in the intestinal villi. In the not immune birds however, some cell repulsion and a little swelling of the villous muscles was observed but only at the tips of the villi. In the normal not infected individual contraction of the villous muscles supports the physiological repulsion of epithelial cells at the so called “extrusion zone”.
In the immunized birds the reaction of the tissue after reinfection could be completely suppressed by cortisone treatment.
Incubation experiments of intestinal pieces both from immunized and not immunized birds with oocyst fluid, sporocysts and glucose in vivo as well as in vitro showed reactions in the same way as mentioned above. The reaction was much stronger in the immunized than in the not immunized birds. These results indicate a local tissue immunity.
The hypothesis is given that after a primary infection compounds stay behind in the intestinal wall enhancing the reaction of oocyst fluid and sporocysts with glucose to such an extent that much lactic acid is formed, which in turn might affect the intestinal wall, resulting in repulsion of the epithelial tissue.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Becker, E. R.: The nature of immunity in coccidiosis. J. Parasit. 20, 332 (1934).
Doran, D. J.: Location and time of penetration of duodenal epithelial cells by Eimeria acervulina sporozoites. Proc. helminth. Soc. Wash. 33, 43–46 (1966).
Ham, A. W.: Histology, sixth ed. Philadelphia-Toronto: J. B. Lippincott and Oxford-Edinburgh: Blackwell Scientific Publications 1969.
Jarret, W. F. H., Jarret, E. E. E., Miller, H. R. P., Urquhart, G. M.: Quantitative studies on the mechanism of self-cure in Nippostrongylus brasiliensis infections. In: The reaction of the host to parasitism, E. J. Soulsby, ed., p. 191–198. Marburg/Lahn: N. G. Elwert Universitäts- und Verlagsbuchhandlung 1968.
Johnson, W. T.: Immunity or resistance of the chicken to coccidial infection. Oregon Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 230 (1927).
Kouwenhoven, B.: The value of various coccidiostats and some coccidiotherapeutics against a Netherlands strain of E. acervulina. T. Diergeneesk. 91, 233–248 (1966).
Kouwenhoven, B.: The possibility of low-temperature freezing of Eimeria tenella sporocysts. T. Diergeneesk. 92, 1639–1642 (1967).
Kouwenhoven, B.: The significance of infection dose, body weight and age of the host on the pathogenic effect of Eimeria acervulina in the fowl. Z. Parasitenk. 39, 255–268 (1972).
McDermott, J. J., Stauber, L. A.: Preparation and agglutination of merozoite suspensions of the chicken coccidian, Eimeria tenella. J. Parasit. 40 (Suppl), 23–24 (1954).
Morehouse, N. F.: The reaction of the immune intestinal epithelium of the rat to reinfection with Eimeria nieschulzi. J. Parasit. 24, 311–317 (1938).
Ogilvie, B. M.: Nippostrongylus brasiliensis: A review of immunity and the host/parasite relationship in the rat. Exp. Parasit. 29, 138–177 (1971).
Rommel, M., Heydorn, A. O.: Versuche zur Übertragung der Immunität gegen Eimeria-Infektionen durch Lymphozyten. Z. Parasitenk. 36, 242–250 (1971).
Rose, M. E.: Immunity to coccidiosis: effect of betemethasone treatment of fowls on Eimeria mivati infection. Parasitology 60, 137–146 (1970).
Rose, M. E.: Immunity to coccidiosis: protective effect of transferred serum in Eimeria maxima infections. Parasitology 62, 11–25 (1971).
Rose, M. E., Long, P. L.: Immunity to coccidiosis: Gut permeability changes in response to sporozoite invasion. Experientia (Basel) 25, 183–184 (1969).
Rose, M. E., Long, P. L.: Immunity to coccidiosis: protective effects of transferred serum and cells investigated in chick embryos infected with Eimeria tenella. Parasitology 63, 299–313 (1971).
Trautmann, A., Fiebiger, J.: Fundamentals of the histology of domestic animals, first ed. Ithaca, N. Y.: Comstock Publishing Associates 1952.
Tyzzer, E. E.: Coccidiosis in gallinaceous birds. Amer. J. Hyg. 10, 269–383 (1929).
Tyzzer, E. E., Theiler, H., Jones, E. E.: Coccidiosis in gallinaceous birds. II. A comparative study of species of Eimeria of the chicken. Amer. J. Hyg. 15, 319–393 (1932).
Van der Horst, C. J. G., Kouwenhoven, B.: Biochemical investigation with regard to infection and immunity of Eimeria acervulina in the fowl. Z. Parasitenk. 42, 23–38 (1973).
Vetterling, J. M.: Continuous-flow differential density flotation of coccidial oocysts and a comparison with other methods. J. Parasit. 55, 412–417 (1969).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kouwenhoven, B., van der Horst, C.J.G. Histological Observations with Respect to the Immune Mechanism in Eimeria acervulina Infection in the Domestic Fowl. Z. Parasitenk 42, 11–21 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00329006
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00329006