Kokcydioza u kóz - rozpoznawanie, profilaktyka i leczenie

In this review we aimed to present important protozoan disease in goats, which are increasingly bred in Poland. Coccidiosis is the main cause of diarrhoea in young goats. The disease is caused by apicomplexan parasitic protozoans – Eimeria spp. Eimeriae are host-specific and never cross interspecies barrier even in ruminants. Goats at any age may be infected, however the clinical disease occurs most often in young animals from 3 weeks to 5 months of age. Poor management, stress and overcrowding are the most important factors associated with the clinical coccidiosis in goats. Eimeria spp. infection causes serious damage to the intestinal epithelium which results in severe watery diarrhea, dehydration, failure to thrive, poor weight gain and loss of productivity. Control of coccidiosis in goats is based on the improvement of management and environmental conditions, preventive use of medicines (coccidiostats), and treatment of clinical cases.