The Effect of Nicarbazin on the Development of Immunity to Avian Coccidia

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Abstract
Studies showed that chickens exposed to infections with graded numbers of Eimeria tenella. E. acervulina or E. necatrix oocvsts and fed nicarbazin were equally as resistant as infected, untreated surviving control chickens to the lethal effects of a challenge infection. Although the feeding of nicarbazin significantly suppressed oocyst formation and reduced the damaging pathological effects of avian coccidiosis this did not adversely affect the immunizing process produced by avian coccidia. Histopathological studies showed that nicarbazin suppressed the development of the second generation schizonts and their merozoites. These retarded schizonts produced a marked inflammatory reaction in the intestinal tissues. This reaction appeared to have stimulated immunity and may have accounted for the relatively high degree of resistance to reinfection with coccidia found in chickens fed nicarbazin.

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