Time of sporulation for several species of Eimeria in goats:: an in vitro assessment

Oocysts of the genus Eimeria spp. sporulate when its protoplasma is divided into four sporocysts and each one contains two sporozoites. The time of sporulation (TOS) of caprine Eimeria spp varies for different species according to conditions of relative humidity (RH), temperature and air ventilation. The main objective of this work was to assess in vitro TOS for different species of Eimeria in goats. Fecal samples were washed, off and cleaned Eimeria spp oocysts were placed to sporulate in Petri dishes under a 73.5% RH, 25degreesC room temperature, in a 2.5% K2Cr3O7 solution. After 2-22 hours no sporulation of Eimeria species was observed. Sporulation began at 24 hours in a 14% of the following species: Eimeria alijevi, (71.4%), E. jolchijevi (14.3%), E. hirci (7.2%) and E. caprina (7.2%). Differential structures like body of Stieda, residual body, and polar grain were not observed. At 26 hours, the Eimeria species sporulated in a 61%, and the species above mentioned sporulated in a 42.6%, 8.2%, 37.7% and 4.9% respectively. In addition, E.caprovina, E. ninakohlyakimovae and E. arloingi also sporulated at 1.6%, 3.3% and 1.6% respectively. These species of Eimeria had a complete sporulation at 34-36 hours, and sporulation of E. christenseni, began as to microscopically verified (2.9%) the interval differential structures of sporulated oocysts. Finally, between 96 - 102 hours all nine species of Eimeria had a complete sporulation besides E. Apsheronica (0,06%).