Pathogenicity in Chicken Anemia Virus with <i>Eimeria tenella</i>: Concurrent Co-Infection and Secondary <i>Eimeria tenella</i> Infection

Chicken anemia virus (CAV) and <i>Eimeria tenella</i> (<i>E. tenella</i>) are economically important pathogens of the poultry industry worldwide. However, the impact of dual infection of these two pathogens in chickens remains unclear. This study investigated the pathogenic e...

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Main Authors: Hsyang-Hsun Chung, Suttitas Tongkamsai, Ming-Chu Cheng, Yi-Lun Tsai, Meng-Shiou Lee, Yi-Yang Lien, Ya-Mei Chen
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Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Microorganisms
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/7/1676
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author Hsyang-Hsun Chung
Suttitas Tongkamsai
Ming-Chu Cheng
Yi-Lun Tsai
Meng-Shiou Lee
Yi-Yang Lien
Ya-Mei Chen
author_facet Hsyang-Hsun Chung
Suttitas Tongkamsai
Ming-Chu Cheng
Yi-Lun Tsai
Meng-Shiou Lee
Yi-Yang Lien
Ya-Mei Chen
author_sort Hsyang-Hsun Chung
collection DOAJ
description Chicken anemia virus (CAV) and <i>Eimeria tenella</i> (<i>E. tenella</i>) are economically important pathogens of the poultry industry worldwide. However, the impact of dual infection of these two pathogens in chickens remains unclear. This study investigated the pathogenic effects of dual infection with CAV and <i>E. tenella</i> using two trials. In Trial A, chickens were infected at 21 days of age (D21) with either CAV and <i>E. tenella</i> simultaneously (C<sub>21</sub> + T<sub>21</sub>), CAV alone (C<sub>21a</sub>), <i>E. tenella</i> alone (T<sub>21</sub>), or PBS as a negative control (NC). In Trial B, chickens received CAV at D21 followed by <i>E. tenella</i> at D28 (C<sub>21</sub> + T<sub>28</sub>), CAV alone at D21 (C<sub>21b</sub>), <i>E. tenella</i> alone at D28 (T<sub>28</sub>), or PBS at D21 (NC). Assays of lesion scores (LS), oocysts per gram (OPG) of feces, packed cell volume (PCV), and thymus index (TI) were used to assess variations in pathogenicity. Both the C<sub>21</sub> + T<sub>21</sub> and C<sub>21</sub> + T<sub>28</sub> groups showed higher OPG than the group infected with <i>E. tenella</i> alone, with significantly elevated OPG in the secondary infection scenario and more severe lesions in the concurrent co-infection group (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Anemia, indicated by PCV < 27%, was observed in the C<sub>21</sub> + T<sub>21</sub> group at day 28 and in the C<sub>21</sub> + T<sub>28</sub> group at day 35, both of which had significantly lower PCV values than the group infected with CAV alone (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Thymus atrophy was most severe in C<sub>21</sub> + T<sub>21</sub> at 28 days old (<i>p</i> < 0.05; <i>p</i> < 0.01). In this study, preliminary observations suggested that concurrent and secondary infections with CAV and <i>E. tenella</i> showed variable trends that may indicate potential interactions; however, these exploratory findings require more systematic validation in older chickens.
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spelling doaj-art-daafd46c8b9d4739abc1d98169ecfb942025-08-20T03:32:32ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072025-07-01137167610.3390/microorganisms13071676Pathogenicity in Chicken Anemia Virus with <i>Eimeria tenella</i>: Concurrent Co-Infection and Secondary <i>Eimeria tenella</i> InfectionHsyang-Hsun Chung0Suttitas Tongkamsai1Ming-Chu Cheng2Yi-Lun Tsai3Meng-Shiou Lee4Yi-Yang Lien5Ya-Mei Chen6Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912301, TaiwanFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok, Chonburi 20110, ThailandDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912301, TaiwanDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912301, TaiwanDepartment of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chinese Medicine Resources, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, 91 Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung 40402, TaiwanDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912301, TaiwanDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912301, TaiwanChicken anemia virus (CAV) and <i>Eimeria tenella</i> (<i>E. tenella</i>) are economically important pathogens of the poultry industry worldwide. However, the impact of dual infection of these two pathogens in chickens remains unclear. This study investigated the pathogenic effects of dual infection with CAV and <i>E. tenella</i> using two trials. In Trial A, chickens were infected at 21 days of age (D21) with either CAV and <i>E. tenella</i> simultaneously (C<sub>21</sub> + T<sub>21</sub>), CAV alone (C<sub>21a</sub>), <i>E. tenella</i> alone (T<sub>21</sub>), or PBS as a negative control (NC). In Trial B, chickens received CAV at D21 followed by <i>E. tenella</i> at D28 (C<sub>21</sub> + T<sub>28</sub>), CAV alone at D21 (C<sub>21b</sub>), <i>E. tenella</i> alone at D28 (T<sub>28</sub>), or PBS at D21 (NC). Assays of lesion scores (LS), oocysts per gram (OPG) of feces, packed cell volume (PCV), and thymus index (TI) were used to assess variations in pathogenicity. Both the C<sub>21</sub> + T<sub>21</sub> and C<sub>21</sub> + T<sub>28</sub> groups showed higher OPG than the group infected with <i>E. tenella</i> alone, with significantly elevated OPG in the secondary infection scenario and more severe lesions in the concurrent co-infection group (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Anemia, indicated by PCV < 27%, was observed in the C<sub>21</sub> + T<sub>21</sub> group at day 28 and in the C<sub>21</sub> + T<sub>28</sub> group at day 35, both of which had significantly lower PCV values than the group infected with CAV alone (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Thymus atrophy was most severe in C<sub>21</sub> + T<sub>21</sub> at 28 days old (<i>p</i> < 0.05; <i>p</i> < 0.01). In this study, preliminary observations suggested that concurrent and secondary infections with CAV and <i>E. tenella</i> showed variable trends that may indicate potential interactions; however, these exploratory findings require more systematic validation in older chickens.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/7/1676chicken anemia virus<i>Eimeria tenella</i>concurrent co-infectionsecondary infection
spellingShingle Hsyang-Hsun Chung
Suttitas Tongkamsai
Ming-Chu Cheng
Yi-Lun Tsai
Meng-Shiou Lee
Yi-Yang Lien
Ya-Mei Chen
Pathogenicity in Chicken Anemia Virus with <i>Eimeria tenella</i>: Concurrent Co-Infection and Secondary <i>Eimeria tenella</i> Infection
Microorganisms
chicken anemia virus
<i>Eimeria tenella</i>
concurrent co-infection
secondary infection
title Pathogenicity in Chicken Anemia Virus with <i>Eimeria tenella</i>: Concurrent Co-Infection and Secondary <i>Eimeria tenella</i> Infection
title_full Pathogenicity in Chicken Anemia Virus with <i>Eimeria tenella</i>: Concurrent Co-Infection and Secondary <i>Eimeria tenella</i> Infection
title_fullStr Pathogenicity in Chicken Anemia Virus with <i>Eimeria tenella</i>: Concurrent Co-Infection and Secondary <i>Eimeria tenella</i> Infection
title_full_unstemmed Pathogenicity in Chicken Anemia Virus with <i>Eimeria tenella</i>: Concurrent Co-Infection and Secondary <i>Eimeria tenella</i> Infection
title_short Pathogenicity in Chicken Anemia Virus with <i>Eimeria tenella</i>: Concurrent Co-Infection and Secondary <i>Eimeria tenella</i> Infection
title_sort pathogenicity in chicken anemia virus with i eimeria tenella i concurrent co infection and secondary i eimeria tenella i infection
topic chicken anemia virus
<i>Eimeria tenella</i>
concurrent co-infection
secondary infection
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/7/1676
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