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The use of vitamin K deficient diets in the screening and evaluation of anticoccidial drugs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

John F. Ryley
Affiliation:
Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd, Pharmaceuticals Division, Mereside, Alderley Park, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK10 4TG
Linda Hardman
Affiliation:
Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd, Pharmaceuticals Division, Mereside, Alderley Park, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK10 4TG

Summary

Vitamin K (as menaphthone sodium bisulphite) added to a deficient diet reduced mortality due to Eimeria tenella or E. necatrix, had a slight effect on haematocrit, but had no obvious effect on weight gain or faecal blood; 0·1 ppm gave a maximal response. The effect of vitamin K on mortality was not absolute; the magnitude of the effect depended on the size of the challenge dose of oocysts. Likewise, the response of an infection to anticoccidial drugs, particularly monensin, depended on the severity of challenge. The effect of adding vitamin K in the presence of drug was to effectively reduce the coccidial challenge; no other interaction of vitamin K and drug has been found. No effects with vitamin K deficiency or supplementation were seen in cases of infections with E. acervulina, E. brunetti or E. maxima. The use of a deficient diet for experimental work is therefore quite justified – particularly as it results in a 4-fold saving of oocysts for inoculation purposes in the case of the haemorrhagic species.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1978

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References

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