Carbohydrate stores in chickens infected withEimeria tenella

Abstract

Changes in plasma glucose and lactate and glycogen stores of cardiac and voluntary muscle have been determined during the course of an infection byEimeria tenella.No hyperglycaemia resulted nor was there any significant change in the stores of hepatic glycogen during the period of observation.There was a significant reduction in the plasma lactate concentration on the 1st and 2nd days after infection.There was a transient increase in the stores of cardiac glycogen on the 5th day after infection.Glycogen stores of voluntary muscle were significantly reduced on the 5th and 6th days after infection. It is thought that this depletion resulted from a reduction in muscular activity rather than from an impairment of glycogenesis.