Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) for Eimeria tenella replication--Implications for experimental refinement and animal welfare.

ABSTRACT: The Eimeria species are highly pathogenic parasites of chickens. Research aimed at reducing their impact is hindered by a lack of non-subjective, quantitative, tools to measure parasite replication in the host. The time-consuming, and often time-sensitive, nature of existing approaches precludes their use in large-scale genetic, epidemiological, and evolutionary analyses. We have used quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) to accurately quantify Eimeria tenella in chicken tissue and shown this to be more efficient and sensitive than traditional methodologies. We tested four chicken-specific reference qPCR assays and found beta-actin (actb) to be optimal for sample normalisation. In an experimental setting, chickens were inoculated with 500, 1500, or 4500 E. tenella oocysts and parasite replicat

SUBMITTER: Nolan MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4534708 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature