EVALUATION OF PLASMA CHEMISTRY AND HEMATOLOGICAL STUDIES ON CHICKENS INFECTED WITH EIMERIA-TENELLA AND E-ACERVULINA

Plasma chemistry and haematological studies were conducted on chickens with coccidiosis. Male White Leghorn chickens, of two weeks old, were inoculated with 5 x 10(4) Eimeria tenella sporulated oocysts or with I x 10(6) E acervulina sporulated oocysts. Blood samples were taken fo ur, seven and II days after inoculation. A wet chemistry system was ap plied to measure the plasma activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma glutamyltransfer ase, creatine kinase, amylase and lactate dehydrogenase and the concen trations of creatine, total bilirubin, urate, total cholesterol, total protein, albumin, glucose and triglycerides. A dry chemistry system m as applied to measure sodium, potassium, chloride and calcium. The num ber of red blood cells and packed cell volume were determined by a mic ro cell counter and blood pH was measured with a blood gas analyser. T he erythrocyte count, packed cell volume, sodium and chloride levels i n the chickens infected with E tenella were significantly (P < 0.05) l ower than those of the uninfected controls, The significant decrease i n blood pH of the chickens infected with E acervulina suggests malabso rption associated with duodenal lesions induced by the infection.