Plasmodium gallinaceum and subsequent Eimeria acervulina infections in chickens are not synergistic

Abstract

Twenty-three years ago, the first and only report of synergism between malarial and coccidial infections in chickens was published. In view of the potential commercial importance of this possible parasitic interaction in some parts of the world, and the lack of further supporting publications, this disease complex has now been reconsidered. An experiment on Plasmodium gallinaceum and Eimeria acervulina revealed no interaction of any kind between these species and a re-examination, with statistical analysis, of the raw data on which the original publication was based shows that no evidence of synergism between malarial and coccidial infections in chickens has so far been produced.