Current Anticoccidials Used in Nigeria; Benefits and Challenges: Review

Abstract

The use of anticoccidial drugs has become the treatment of choice in the poultry industry in Nigeria. Currently, several types of anticoccidial drugs are available including synthetic compounds, quinolones and certain ionophore antibiotics. In recent years however, few new drugs have been introduced and very few drugs are equally efficacious against all Eimeria species. The poultry industry in Nigeria is facing problems which include drug resistance, lack of new anticoccidial products and consumer demanding decrease in the use of drugs in animal feeds. Specific anticoccidial drugs in use include Amprolium, Diaclazuril and Toltrazuril, Folic acid and Polyether ionophores. The urgent need to seek alternative strategies to control coccidiosis has made the use of vaccines more attractive. New generations of safe, live attenuated vaccines are now commercially available such as Coccivac® and Immucox® and new live vaccines such as Paracox® are safe though live. Alternative control of coccidiosis include nutritional (Fat diet and vitamin A supplement and probiotics (immune modulators) or natural feed additives and herbs. The following challenges encountered in the management of coccidiosis include poor response to drug therapy due to the development of resistant strains and increased costs of drugs. Although vaccines played a role in coccidiosis control for a long time the developed countries, in developing countries such as Nigeria their applications still remain very limited with consideration for the safety, costs and demands for high techniques by the farmers or veterinarian. In conclusion, though great exploits have been achieved in the control of the disease using drugs and vaccines, challenges with their use as well as the emphasis in the society for chemical free products, it is recommended that more work could be done using natural alternatives such as plants and other products.