The life history and pathogenicity of Eimeria meleagridis Tyzzer, 1927, in the turkey poult

Abstract

A description is given of the life history and pathogenicity of a species of Eimeria, derived from a single oocyst infection in a coccidia-free bird, and subsequently identified as E. meleagridis.There are two asexual generations followed by the sexual generation. The first schizogony cycle occurs in the small intestine and the second and sexual generations are restricted to the caeca.The organism is not pathogenic but the sexual stages produce marked caseous lesions in the caeca. It is immunologically distinct from a pure strain of E. adenoeides and cannot be transmitted to chickens.