Abstract
The electrophoretic mobility of glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI) was used to identify E. acervulina, E. praecox and E. mivati in isolates of coccidia [in chickens] from commercial sites in the UK. Mixtures of 2 or 3 spp. gave separate bands upon electrophoresis, and each species could be identified provided that it formed at least 10-20% of the total number of oocysts present in a sample of 8 .times. 106 oocysts. The principal forms of GPI corresponded to the GPI of E. acervulina (H), E. praecox (H) and E. mivati (W) and were found in 38, 34 and 8 isolates, respectively, of the 46 examined. Three further variants of GPI are described.