Aim:The present study was undertaken to determine the seroprevalence of mycoplasma infection and possible isolation from local chickens in Niger State, Nigeria. We have looked into this problem using a combined MG/MS ELISA kit and cultural isolation. Methods: A total of 552 blood samples were randomly collected from exanguinated chickens for serology. Tracheal swabs were collected into screwed cap bijou bottles containing 2ml of mycoplasma broth medium. Results: The sero prevalence of indigenous chickens from Niger State was 91.83% by MG/MS Elisa. A total of 126 swabs yielded to the growth of avian mycoplasma on mycoplasma agar.

his paper focuses on anticoccidial drugs and resistance, poultry management, alternatives for anticoccidial drugs including dietary modulation, natural additives and herbs comprising of botanicals to coccidia. The paper also viewed at the treatment programme for coccidiosis control as well as its potential implications in meat tissue to man. Keywords: Anticoccidial drugs; Avian Coccidiosis; Coccidiostats

Antibodies (IgG or IgY) titre values were higher in broilers sera infected with sporulated oocyst and merozoites reaching a peak on day 10 of post primary and secondary infections and day 5 post tertiary infection in sera of broilers (treated and non- treated). At tertiary infection, antibodies increases at day 5, 7, 11 and 14 indicating that antibodies increases in broilers infected with the invasive or zoite stages, (sporozoite and merozoite) of the parasite.. There was a significant difference in the antibody output between the sera of the broiler groups (p< 0.05).

Eimeria tenella is the most prevalent and pathogenic Coccidia causing morbidity, mortality and resulting in serious economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the immune response of broiler chickens to Eimeria tenella developmental stages Four hundred broilers divided into six groups (n=40) were used for the study. Each group was subdivided into two (n=20) as treated and non-treated and infected with different developmental stages (groups I-unsporulated oocysts, II-sporulated oocysts, III-schizonts, IV-merozoites and Vgametocytes respectively) of Eimeria tenella (local isolate), except group VI-control. The molecular identification of the local Eimeria tenella isolate identity was done through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Clinical signs, gross caecal lesions, humoral and cellular-mediated immune response were determined in the infected broiler chickens with Eimeria tenella developmental stages. The faeces were processed using simple floatation technique and observed at 10x and 40x objectives of the Neiss microscope. Oocysts isolated from the caeca of birds naturally infected in Jos, Nigeria with the local strain were used to obtain the different developmental stages either in vitro or in vivo using bovine monocytes (schizonts), embryonated chicken eggs (gamatocytes) or two weeks old broilers (merozoites). To study the immune response elicited during the primary and secondary infection, each developmental stage was used to infect a group of two, three and half weeks old broilers, twenty of which were treated with the recommended dose of amprolium (250 mg/l (0.025%)) for 5 days at the appearance of clinical signs. At the tertiary infection, all the experimental birds except the control group of forty birds were orally infected with 105 sporulated oocysts of known characterized virulent Eimeria tenella strain. The mean oocysts output or count was 37.07 × 10 6 in the infected birds non-treated than 25.65 × 10 6 in the treated groups, although there was a gradual reduction (groups

The present study reveals the proliferation of cytokines in treated and non- treated broilers consisting of IFN- γ, IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, TNF and TGF. The CD4 count in the treated and non- treated broilers orally administered with various developmental stages of the parasite reached a peak on day 10 at primary; secondary and day 24 at tertiary infections. There was significant difference in the CD4 cell count between groups of the infected broiler chickens (p < 0.05). The current study observed a relationship between the different developmental stages of the parasite and lymphocytes response. Broiler chickens infected with sporulated oocyst (sporozoites) and merozoites treated and non-treated gave high CD4 T- lymphocyte numbers than the other groups throughout the experimental periods.