Synergism between coccidia parasites (Eimeria mitis and E. acervulina)and malarial parasites (Plasmodium gallinaceum and P. juxtanucleare) in the chick

Abstract

1. The coccidial parasites (Eimeria acervulina and E. mitis) cause a recrudescence in chicks harbouring chronic infection with Plasmodium juxtanucleare.2. E. acervulina causes higher levels of parasitaemia in P. juxtanucleare infections in chicks if the coccidial infection is produced during the prepatent period of malaria, but it does not affect the length of patent and prepatent periods or raise the mortality rate among infected chicks.3. E. acervulina induces a severe fatal relapse in chicks harbouring latent P. gallinaceum infections.I wish to express my sincere thanks to Professor P.C.C. Garnham who supervised this work, and Dr R. Lainson who helped in identification, isolation of the coccidial parasites and the establishment of infection in clean laboratory-bred chicks.