Validation of efficacy of rabbit anticoccidial drugs commonly used in Kenya

The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of three most commonly used off label (poultry based) anticoccidials in treatment of rabbit coccidiosis by smallholder rabbit farmers in Kenya. The test drugs as independently identified by farmers and agroveterinary suppliers in a baseline survey were sulphachloropyrazine, amprolium and trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole and were benchmarked against diclazuril (diclosol 1%) as the standard drug in experimental and natural coccidial infections. Sixty weaner rabbits of New Zealand white and California white breeds were randomly allocated to six treatment groups (A, B, C, D, E and F) each with 10 rabbits in a controlled laboratory trial. Groups B, C, D, E and F were experimentally infected with mixed Eimeria species while group A served as uninfected-untreated (negative) control group. Four of the infected groups were respectively treated with sulphachloropyrazine (E), amprolium hydrochloride 20% (B), trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole combination (F) and diclazuril (diclosol 1%) (D) at dosages recommended by the manufacturers (poultry reference dosages). Group C was the infected untreated (positive) control group. Field efficacy trials in naturally infected rabbits were then conducted to validate the laboratory results. Results revealed high efficacy of suphachloropyrazine and diclazuril manifested by reduced oocysts counts, faecal and lesion scores in the controlled laboratory trial approaching those of the negative control group. Similarly, sulphachloropyrazine and diclazuril recorded high efficacies against natural coccidiosis in the field trials which was manifested by significant reduction of oocysts shed. Trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole recorded moderate to satisfactory efficacy in the field trial but was not efficacious in the laboratory trial. Amprolium was not able to control coccidiosis in both laboratory and field trials at the recommended poultry reference dosages. This study recommends prudent use of available efficacious anticoccidial drugs in the country to prevent development of resistance.