Comparative Studies on Some Epidemiological Aspects of Eimeriosis in Turkeys between Some Regions in Bulgaria and Turkey

By means of turkeys’ faecal samples flotation with NaCl solution, the species composition of Eimeria spp. has been determined in 16 settlements in the Republic of Bulgaria and 4 settlements in the Republic of Turkey. In Bulgaria, the following species were detected: Eimeria adenoeides; E. meleagridis; E. meleagrimitis; E. gallopavonis; E. subrotunda, as well as Isospora heisini, whereas in Turkey − Eimeria adenoeides; E. meleagridis; E. meleagrimitis and E. subrotunda. The species E. subrotunda was observed for the first time in Bulgaria. The highly pathogenic species E. adenoeides was the dominant one in Bulgaria. In Turkey, E. meleagrimitis was the most prevailing. From all 1077 turkeys studied in Bulgaria and 161 in Turkey, 586 (54.4%) and 28 (17.4%) were infected with Eimeria, respectively. The infection in our country was generally with a low intensity – up to 50 oocysts per gramme faeces − in 371 (63.6%) of affected birds. Only in 5 birds (0.01%) a highintensity infection was observed with 500 to 8200 oocysts per gramme faeces.