Genetic and biological characterisation of three cryptic Eimeria operational taxonomic units that infect chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus).

ABSTRACT: More than 68 billion chickens were produced globally in 2018, emphasising their major contribution to the production of protein for human consumption and the importance of their pathogens. Protozoan Eimeria spp. are the most economically significant parasites of chickens, incurring global costs of more than UK £10.4 billion per annum. Seven Eimeria spp. have long been recognised to infect chickens, with three additional cryptic operational taxonomic units (OTUs) first described more than 10 years ago. As the world's farmers attempt to reduce reliance on routine use of antimicrobials in livestock production, replacing drugs that target a wide range of microbes with precise species- and sometimes strain-specific vaccines, the breakthrough of cryptic genetic types can pose serious problems. C

SUBMITTER: Blake DP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8186487 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature