Eimeria Avium and the Diagnosis of Avian Coccidiosis.

Eimeria avium, the causal agent of coccidiosis in chickens and other fowls, is perhaps the most serious parasitic menace known to commercial chicken raising, especially so where large numbers of fowls are handled on limited areas. It is evident that the most rational means of overcoming the coccidiosis phase of the soil contamination problem is primarily dependent upon a knowledge of the life history and biological characteristics of the pathogenic agent involved. Since it is so common to find a variety of disease-producing organisms, such as intestinal worms, flagellates, varied bacterial flora, etc., coexistent in the same fowl the true significance of coccidian infection is not generally appreciated. It is probable that the presence of common macroscopic parasites, such as intestinal worms, has misled many to find a less important cause of disease in fowls, while the most destructive offender remained in obscurity. Some confusion exists regarding the nomenclature of . . .