Figure 5.

(I) Histopathology of cecal tissues of chicks infected with E. tenella 10-days postexperimental infection showing (A) normal cecal tissue (star), (B) large number of developmental stages (arrow) (schizonts) of E. tenella in lamina propria of villi, (C and D) reduced number of developmental stages (arrow) (schizonts) of E. tenella in lamina propria of villi in the treated groups. (II) Histopathology of cecal tissues of chicks infected with E. tenella 30-days postexperimental infection showing (A) the cecum of a T1 (control) chicken with typical intestinal crypts (H&E, 200). (B) Cecum of T2 E. tenella- infected chicken and non treated, chicken displaying observable invasion of coccidial schizonts of E. tenella inside the intestinal crypts (arrows), as well as infestation of the lamina propria with various coccidial stages of E. tenella that were mostly degenerated from the inside (arrow) and eosinophilic cells infiltration (arrowhead, H&E, 200, T3 (Non infected chicks + SeNPs) showed also typical intestinal crypts as control; therefore we didn't add the image in figure 5 as the 100% similarity with control). (C) cecum of T4 (E. tenella-infected chicken and treated with SeNPs), chicken cecal tissues displayed restoration of normal intestinal crypts (arrows, H&E, 200). Cecum of T5 (sulfadimidine) chicken displaying a substantial decrease of E. tenella reproducing schizonts, evident hypertrophy of the crypts lining epithelium, and modest interstitial mononuclear cell infiltration (H&E, 200).