Research Note: Isolation, speciation, and anticoccidial sensitivity of Eimeria spp. recovered from wild turkey feces in the United States

Abstract

Between 2018 and 2020, over 100 wild turkey fecal samples were collected from the Eastern and Central thirds of the United States, where commercial turkey production is uncommon. We hypothesized that anticoccidial-sensitive Eimeria spp. would be present in wild turkey fecal samples. Samples containing Eimeria spp. oocysts were amplified in vivo. If propagation was successful, the samples were PCR-speciated and subjected to anticoccidial sensitivity testing (AST) for key members of both ionophore and chemical categories of anticoccidial drugs. The purpose of this study was to isolate Eimeria spp. relevant to commercial turkey production that possessed sensitivity to monensin, zoalene, and amprolium. Future research would evaluate the efficacy of wild turkey Eimeria spp. as vaccine candidates for reducing coccidiosis in commercial turkey flocks utilizing single oocyst-derived stocks obtained in the present study.

Keywords: Eimeria; anticoccidial sensitivity testing; coccidiosis; speciation; turkey.