Effect of Eimeria tenella infection on the caecal population of lincomycin-resistant Clostridium perfringens introduced into chickens.

The effect of Eimeria tenella infection on the caecal population of lincomycin-resistant Clostridium perfringens (KGW 851) newly introduced into chickens was studied. Four groups of chickens consisted of: (1) Uninoculated controls; (2) inoculated with C perfringens (KGW 851); (3) inoculated with E tenella; and (4) inoculated with C perfringens (KGW 851) followed by E tenella. Five chickens in each group were necropsied on each of days 0, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 14 after the E tenella inoculation. The mean total C perfringens counts in the caecal contents increased at five days after E tenella inoculation and reached maximum counts at seven days after the inoculation. Also lincomycin-resistant C perfringens readily established itself at approximately one 10th of the total C perfringens population in the presence or absence of E tenella infection.