Eimeria tenella is a species of Eimeria that causes hemorrhagic cecal coccidiosis in young poultry.
This species has a monoxeous life cycle with the definitive (only) host as chickens; it is extremely host-specific. Acquired via fecal contamination of food and water (oral-fecal route), it undergoes endogenous merogony in the crypts of Lieberkuhr (intestinal ceca of chicken) and gametogony in epithelial cells of the small intestines. Fusion of microgamete and macrogamete forms results in unsporulated zygotes, which are released with feces of chicken. The zygote sporulates after one to five days, and becomes infective.
Diagnosis is based on finding oocysts in feces. While no effective treatment exists, the rate of infection can be reduced via prophylates, anticoccidial drugs and vaccination of baby chicks.
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