Alternatives to Antibiotics against Coccidiosis for Poultry Production: The Relationship between Immunity and Coccidiosis Management – A Comprehensive Review

Abstract Avian coccidiosis is a protozoan infection caused by numerous Eimeria parasitic species and mainly affects the bird’s gastrointestinal tract and results in a reduction of the bird’s ability to absorb nutrients, slower growth, with a higher mortality rate. According to recent research, immune-based treatments, such as dietary immunomodulating feed additives and recombinant vaccines, can help the hosts protect themselves from intracellular parasites and reduce inflammatory reactions caused by parasites. Coccidiosis control in the post-antiparasitic stage requires thorough investigation of the intricate relationships between the parasites, host defense system, enteroendocrine system, and gut microbiome contributing to coccidian infections. To produce a vaccine, it is crucial to explore the defense mechanism of the intestine’s immune machinery and to identify many effector molecules that act against intracellular parasites. Due to the massive usage of chemical anticoccidial drugs, coccidiosis developed resistance against most commonly used anticoccidials; therefore, numerous researches focused on the usage of safe natural anticoccidials such as probiotics, prebiotics, organic acids, and essential oils to counteract such resistance problem. This review describes how host immunity responds to coccidial infection in chickens and the use of some non-antiparasitic safe natural alternative controls to counter the disease. It would throw the light on the possibility of developing effective therapies against Eimeria to alleviate the detrimental effects of avian coccidiosis.