Specific EtMIC3-binding peptides inhibit Eimeria tenella sporozoites entry into host cells

Table 2 In vivo evaluation of anti-coccidial effects.

Group	Challenge	Oral inoculation	Body weight gain	Relative body weight gain (%)	Average lesion score in cecum	Oocyst reduction ratio (%)
1	Unchallenged	PBS (pH7.2)	77.75 ± 2.46^a	100	/	/
2	Challenged	Phages A	64.33 ± 3.27^b	82.74	1.40 ± 0.34^A	47.42%
3	Challenged	Phages D	60.08 ± 2.94^b	77.27	1.57 ± 0.38^A	40.78%
4	Challenged	Phages W	56.27 ± 3.85^b	72.36	2.50 ± 0.46^B	8.52%
5	Challenged	PBS (pH7.2)	46.04 ± 2.65^c	59.21	3.10 ± 0.40^C	0

21 day-old chicken was orally challenged with 1 × 10⁴ E. tenella sporulated oocysts. At days 0, 1 and 2 post challenge, each chicken was orally inoculated with 1 × 10¹² pfu target phages. Significant difference between numbers with different capital letters (P < 0.01) and small letters (P < 0.05).

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