Treatment trials of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in quails

Abstract

An evaluation of the efficacy of different treatment trials in controlling Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in quail chicks was done. Two probiotics (Lactobacilli and active dry yeast) and two fluoroquinolone antibiotics (Ciprofloxacin & ofloxacin) were used. Four-daysold quail chicks were infected orally with 0.2ml containing 3 x 108 CFU/ml of Pseudomonas aeruginsa strain which proved to be highly pathogenic for quails and sensitive to both antibiotics mentioned above. After three days, infected quails were sorted out into treated and control groups. The fluoroquinolone treated groups were given either of the antibiotics in the drinking water at a dose level of 10mg/kg BW every 12 h for five successive days, while the probiotic treated groups received either and both of the probiotics at a dose level of 0.5gm/liter daily till the end of the experiment. The results revealed that fluoroquinolones were highly effective in destroying the infectious agent. on the other hand, the general health condition and body functions were negatively affected. Histopathological changes in fluoroquinolone and probiotic treated groups were similar. Bacteriologically, the probiotics failed to remove pseudomonas from the infected internal organs. Probiotics proved to be effective in reducing mortalities, severity of infection, enhancement of liver and kidney functions up to almost normal values and improving quail immunity. Probiotics resulted in improvement of the haematological and biochemical parameters as well as total serum proteins and serum globulins. Dual administration of the lactobacilli and saccharomyces justified their synergistic probiotics effect against quail chick pseudomoniasis.Abbreviations: ALT= alanine aminotransferase; AP= alkaline phosphatase; AST= aspartate amintransferase; B= basophils; CFU= colony forming unit CFU/ml = colony forming unit per millilitre; Cipro.= ciprofloxacin; E= eosinophils; gm/ Liter = gram per liter; H= heterophils; Hb concentration = haemoglobin concentration; Hb%= haemoglobin percentage; L= lymphocytes; Lact.=lactobacillus; L. acidophilus= lactobacillus acidophilus; L. brevis= lactobacillus brevis; L. planterum= lactobacillus planterum; M= monocytes; MIC= minimum inhibitory concentration; Of= ofloxacin; PCV= packed cell volume; pH= hydrogen ion concentration; Ps= pseudomonas aeruginosa; R= resistant; TLC= total leucocytic count; T. lymphocytes = thymus dependent lymphocytes; Y= active dry yeast.