Protozoa

Protozoa

Eimeria refers to the sporozoa

The Eimeria life cycle has an exogenous phase, during which the oocysts are excreted into the environment, and an endogenous phase, where parasite development occurs in the host intestine. During the endogenous phase, several rounds of schizogony (asexual reproduction) take place, after which the differentiation gametes and fertilisation occurs. Parasite transmission occurs via the fecal-oral route. Infections are common in farming environments where many animals are confined in a small space.