The present experimental study was carried out to evaluate the effects of the aqueous solution of propolis and toltrazuril on E. stiedai in experimentally infected young New Zealand white rabbits. The efficacy of both agents as anticoccidials was assessed on criteria including fecal oocysts counts, clinical signs, gross and histopathological lesions:
Clinically, the infected rabbits with E. stiedai were suffered from depression, anorexia, weight loss, ascities and diarrhea. Grossly, enlargement of liver with presence of numerous small within nodules on hepatic surface with distension of gall bladder were observed Microscopically, congestion, hepatic degeneration and necrosis, extensive hyperplasia of bile ductal epithelium which contained many stages of parasites and periportal fibrosis with mononuclear cellular infiltration were observed (great reduction in these clinical symptoms, gross and microscopic lesions were observed in rabbits experimentally infected with E. stiedai before and after administration of toltrazuril as prophylactic and treatment. Meanwhile, using of piopolis as prophylactic and treatment in rabbits experimentally infected with E. stiedai showed positive results similar to using of toltrazuril in addition to its hepatoprotective and immunostimulating effects especially in prophylactic application
Finally the parasitological and histopatological results concluded that,
1- Toltrazuril and propolis as anticoccidial agents could be evaluated through parasitological examination of oocysts output in combination with histopathological examination of liver
2- Hepatic coccidiosis in rabbits was associated with severe hepatic damage characterized by chronic proliferative cholangitis with presence of numerous developmental stages within the lining epithelium and lumens of bile ducts.
3- Toltrazuril has a therapeutic and prophylactic efficacy against hepatic coccidiosis characterized by reduction of both oocysts shedding and the coccidial and hepatic lesions
4- propolis extract had effective chemoprophylactic and therapeutic activities against hepatic coccidiosis in addition to its hepatoprotective and immunostimulating activities
5- Further studies should be given to verify the sufficient dose of propolis extract in Held to kill the protozoa without causing local or systemic adverse effects.
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