Antioxidant status in Eimeria acervulina infected chickens after dietary selenium treatment

The effect of sodium selenite on the antioxidant status in broiler chickens infected with Eimeria acervulina was studied. Antioxidant status was measured via blood plasma malonyl dialdehyde (MDA), serum glutathione peroxidase (GPx), erythrocyte catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and plasma levels of selenium (Se), vitamins A, C and E with respect to parasitological and production traits. The study was performed on 100, 20-day old broiler chickens. Four groups of chickens were formed: the 1st - control, the 2nd - control and received Na2SeO3 (0.3 mg/kg diet for 10 days), the 3rd - infected with 3 x 10(5) sporulated E. acervulina oocysts and the 4th - infected with E. acervulina oocysts and received the same dose Na2SeO3. Blood samples were taken on Day 8 after the first inoculation. Increased MDA and CAT, reduced SOD and GPx and Se content, and hypovitaminoses A, C and E in the infected chicks, compared to the healthy controls were observed. The changes in the small intestine, lesion scores and oocyst index, and body weight were indicative for a severe E. acervulina infection. Inorganic Se supplementation increased vitamin E, Se content, pGPx-activity, and improved body weights, but it did not influence the parasitological indices.