Development of a qPCR to diagnose the genus Eimeria in bovines

Bovine coccidiosis is caused by protozoa in the genus Eimeria. These protozoa mainly affect young animals, causing a decrease in production and consequent economic losses. The routine diagnosis is made through morphological observation of the oocysts, which has several limitations. The objective of the present study was to develop a real-time PCR (qPCR) technique for the diagnosis of Eimeria spp. in cattle. For this purpose, the 18S rRNA region of the DNA of these parasites was selected because it is a region with low variability among the species. The qPCR technique was developed using SYBR Green, resulting in a PCR with high sensitivity, and the ability to amplify samples containing only one oocyst of an Eimeria spp. in bovines. The feasibility of using qPCR in the diagnosis of the genus Eimeria was demonstrated in this study. This technique is less laborious and requires less skill and diagnostic training compared to the technique conventionally used for this diagnosis (micromorphometry).