studies on the effect of some probiotics in rabbits · scvmj, xvi (2) 2011 151 studies on the...

SCVMJ, XVI (2) 2011 151

Studies on the effect of some probiotics in Rabbits

El Dimerdash, M.Z; Dalia, M.H.; Hanan, F.A. and Doaa, S.A.,

Abstract

Sixty five recently weaned White New Zealand rabbits were used in this

study to determine the effect of the probiotic supplementation in drinking

water on their performance and prevention of coli enteritis which causes

severe economic losses in pre and post weaning period. 5 rabbits

subjected for postmortem and bacterial isolation, while 60 rabbits were

divided into 4 equal groups control, infected (G I), probiotic (G II), and

probiotic infected (G III). The probiotic (G II, G III) groups were

supplied by (E. faecium) in drinking water entire experimental period

(1gm/ 3lit water), while the infected groups (G I, G III) were infected

orally with Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) O157: H 7 strain. The

results showed that using probiotic have good effect on increase (body

weight gain, carcass yield, total protein and globulin), and decrease

(cecal pH, Malondialdhyde, and E. coli colonization in the intestinal

tract). The used probiotic improved the rabbit production and could be

used as alternative to antibiotic as prophylactic and control of enteric

diseases.

Key word: Rabbit, Probiotics, E. coli O157: H 7 Diarrhea.

Introduction Rabbits are susceptible to enteric

diseases caused mainly by many

enteropathogens e.g. Escherichia coli

or Clostridium sp. particularly after

weaning. (Suvegova, 2004 and

Falcao-e-cunha et al, 2007). Prevention or control of both pre

and post weaning enteric diseases

was shown to be achieved by the

incorporation of chemotherapeutic

agent (antibiotics) in the feed of the

young animals (Berge et al, 2005 and

Kritas and Morrison, 2005). To solve

the problem of enteric disorders on the

sensitive young rabbits GIT and

decrease usage of antibiotics; several

studies on alternatives Natural feed

additives (as immunopotentiator) have

been approched (Falcao-e-cunha et al,

2007). Probiotics can stimulate the

immune system, prevent invasion by

pathogenic micro-organisms by

competitive exclusion, production of

antimicrobial substances (Salminen

et al, 1996 and Dunne et al, 1999), decrease in intestinal pH, and a

reduction of toxic amines and

ammonia levels in the gastrointestinal

tract and blood (De blas et al, 1991).

Bacteria most commonly used as

probiotics include the lactic acid

bacteria (LAB) and bifidobacteria.

These produces high amounts of

organic acids as a consequence of their

metabolism (Gouet et al, 1976 ; and

Canganella et al, 1992). This study

aimed to determine the effect of

152 El Dimerdash et al

supplementation probiotic E. faecium

in the drinking water to experimentally

infected recently weaned rabbits to

determine the growth weight

performances, decreasing the

colonization of E. coli (O157: H 7

strain), and on some biochemical

parameter such as (total protein,

albumin, globulin, albumin/ globulin

ratio, the Malondialdhyde (MDA), and

cecal pH)

Material and methods

Material

1. Experimental animals: Sixty five

White New Zealand rabbits recently

Weaned with average body weight

0.75 to 1 kg. Rabbits were housed in

metal cages (disinfected by "Virkon

S"), at room temperature ranged

between (15:20°C), and with a lighting

period nearly 12 hours (day light), for

entire experimental period.

2. Diet: according to requirements. it

is free from antibiotic

3. Probiotic: Probiotic powder was

used for stabilization of intestinal flora

to support health status and improve

performance. It contain (3.5x 10 12

cfu/kg) E. faecium DSM 10663

NCIMB 10415 (E 1707); 0.4 % crude

protein; and 75.0 % crude ash.

Supplier: Dr. Eckel GmbH Im

Stiefelfeld 10 D-56651 Niederzissen.

4. Bacterial strains (Escherichia coli):

An Enterohemorrhagic E. coli O157:

H 7 strain kindly obtained from the

department of Microbiology, health

institute.

5. Culture Media: Nutrient agar media,

Eosin Methylene Blue agar (EMB)

media.

6. pH meter: pH Meter portable,

Hanna instrument, Italy.

Experimental design: Sixty five recently weaned White New

Zealand rabbits were used in this

study. 5 rabbits were subjected for

postmortem and bacterial isolation,

while 60 rabbits were divided into 4

equal groups (control, infected G I,

probiotic G II, and probiotic infected G

III). In Probiotic groups (G II, G III)

rabbits were supplied by probiotic

powder contain (E. faecium) in

Drinking water (1gm/ 3 lit water) from

the first day of introduction till the end

of experiment. At 17th

day of

experiment three rabbits were

slaughtered from groups (control, G

II), and groups (G I, G III) were

infected orally with Enterohemorrhagic

E. coli (EHEC) O157: H 7 strain (1x

108 cfu /rabbit).

Collection and preparation of

samples:

1. Blood samples: Blood samples were

collected from all experimental rabbits

groups for serum separation, preserved

in Ebendorf tube in deep freeze -20 till

use.

2. Intestinal content:

Bacteriological examination:

Collect colon parts content from each

sacrificed rabbit weight 1gm were

emulsified with 10ml distilled water to

make 10 fold serial dilutions for

bacterial count.

Microscopical examination: of the

intestinal and fecal contents for

coccidial oocysts and was free.

pH Measurement: pH of cecal

content measured by pH meter .

SCVMJ, XVI (2) 2011 151

3- Pathogenicity test: each rabbit

received 1ml orally (contain 0.2 ml

broth contains 1x108 cfu E. coli O157:

H7 diluted by 0.8 ml sterile saline).

Experimental studies:

1. Growth performance: Body weight

gain, Carcass yield (Laukova et.al.,

2006b), and cecal weight percentage

(Volek et al, 2006)}.

2. Bacteriological studies:

by obtaining 1gm from intestinal

contents, in 10 ml sterile distilled water

to make 10 fold dilutions, 1ml from

each dilutionwere inoculated into

duplicated plate incubated aerobically

on Nutrient agar media (Total bacterial

count), and Eosin Methylene Blue agar

media (The pathogenic infected E.coli

count) (Balows et al, 1991).

3. Biochemical studies:

Serum biochemical changes

a- Determination of serum proteins:

{total proteins (Weichselbaum, 1946;

and Gornal et al, 1949), albumin

(Doumas, 1971); Globulins (Grotty

and Knottenbelt, 2002; and Georgieva

et al, 2008) and Albumin/Globulin

(A/G) ratio)

b- Determination of lipid peroxide

(Malondialdehyde MDA) oxidative

stress in serum: This compound is a

reactive aldehyde and is one of the

many reactive electrophile species that

cause toxic stress in cells.

(Satoh,

1978; and Ohkawa et al, 1979)

Measurement of the level of pH in

cecum (Prohaszka, 1980; and De blas

et al, 1991)

4. Study the effect of infection on

rabbits: Clinical signs (21st day

observation), Gross lesions, Lesion

score ( dead rabbit =4; fibrinous

pericarditis and fibrinous

perihepatitis=3; serous pericarditis= 2;

and enteritis = 1) (Dalia, 2000),

Mortality and Morbidity, and Sanitary

risk (or health risk= morbidity +

mortality ) (Volek et al, 2006)

5. Statistical analysis: Using INSTAT

statistical software (one way

ANOVA). (Snedecor and Cochran,

1980)

Result

I-The pathogenicity of E. coli O157:

H 7 to weaned Rabbits:

-Clinical signs: was anorexia, dry

staring coat, majority rabbits showing

tendency to grinding the teeth, the

perianal was soiled with watery feces

and others showed gelatinous mucus

(FIG 1), loss of body weight, and

appearance of the soft pellets on the

cages. By clinical examination showed

pale mucus membrane. Palpation of

some rabbits showed impaction or

tympani. The signs were more

prominent in the infected Group (G I)

than probiotic infected group (G III).

-Gross lesions: - Infected group (G I)

large intestine had watery yellowish to

brownish content (FIG 2), with

offensive odor, engorged subcutaneous

blood vessels, and congested carcass

and paranchymates organs,emaciation,

severely congested mesenteric blood

vessels (FIG 3), cecum had gases with

hard contents adhere the wall (FIG 4),

sever tympani, distended and engorged

gall bladder (FIG 5), some rabbit

showed pitcheal hemorrhage in heart

coronary fat and others showed

precarditis (FIG 6).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldehyde


-Probiotic Infected group (G III):

showed milder gross lesios as large

intestine had gases and watery

yellowish color content, enlarged and

congested paranchymates organs,

spleenomegaly, heart had scattered

white necrotic focci engorged blood

vessels, and the kidney had white

patches, amorphous urine in urinary

bladder.

-Mortality, and Morbidity (table 1):

Mortalities were non-significant

difference between both infected group

(G I) and probiotic infected group (G

III) both have 7%. Morbidities in

Infected group (G I) was about 17%

during 1st week (p.i), 49% in 2

nd week

(p.i), and 32% at 3rd

week (p.i). While

Probiotic infected group (G III) was

milder, reached 17% during 1st week

(p.i), 14% in 2nd

week (p.i), and by the

end of that week all symptoms were

completely vanished.

-Lesion score and sanitary risk (or

health risk) (table 1): Lesion score: in

infected group (G I) lesion score was

1.9; while in Probiotic infected group

(G III) 0.8. Sanitary risk: in the

infected group (G I) was 39.7, while in

probiotic infected group (G III) was

17.3.

-Bacteriological study (table 2) (chart

1): -Total bacterial count at 22nd

day

(5th

day of infection): the infected

group (G I) showed higher count than

probiotic infected (G III) and control

group; while the probiotic non infected

(G II) showed increase in count than

other groups. At 36th

day of

experiment (19th

day after infection):

the result showed that infected group

(G I) was higher in count than the

other groups; while probiotic groups

(G I, G II) showed increase in count

than control group

- Pathogenic E. coli: the infected

group (G I) showed increase than

Probiotic infected group (G III)

II- Growth performance (table 3):

- Body weight gain (chart 2): At 20th

day of experiment (3rd

day p.i): the

infected groups (G I, G III) showed

significant decreased than the non-

infected groups (control, G II). At 30th

day of experiment (13th

day p.i) and

40th

day of experiment (23rd

day p.i)

the infected group (G I) showed

significant decrease than the other

groups; while the probiotic groups (G

II, G III) in general showed significant

increase than the control.

- Carcass yield (chart 3): the infected

group (G I) showed significant

decrease than non-infected groups

(control, G II), and the probiotic non

infected group (G II) showed

significant increase than the other

groups till the end of experiment.

- Cecal weight and weight percentage

(chart 3): the infected groups (G I, G

III) showed significant increase than

non-infected groups (control, G II).

The infected group (G I) showed

significant increase than probiotic

infected group (G III); while the

probiotic non infected (G II) showed

significant decrease than the other


III- biochemical changes (table 4):

i- Serum biochemical changes:

-Serum total protein (normal level

5.4:7.5mg/lit) (chart 4): at the 17th

day

of experiment (before infection) results

showed significant increase in

SCVMJ, XVI (2) 2011 151

probiotic group than control group. At

22nd


day p.i) the

infected group (G I) showed increased

significant than other groups. at 36th


day p.i) the

infected group (G I) was significant

increased than the other groups; and


significant increase than control.

-Albumin (normal level 2.7:5 mg/lit)

(chart 4): at the 17th

day of the

experiment (before of infection) results

showed that there were mild significant

increases in probiotic group than

control. At 36th


day p.i) the infected group (G I) was

showed significant increase than the

other groups.

-Serum globulin (normal level 1.5:2.7

mg/lit) (chart 4): at the 17th

day of the

experiment (before infection) results


probiotic group than control. At 22nd


day p.i) the

result showed that infected group (G I)

showed significant increase than the

other groups.

-Albumin to globulin (A/G) ratio

(normal level 1.7:1.9) (chart 4): at the

17th

day of the experiment (before of

infection) the result showed significant

increase in the control group than the

probiotic group. at 22nd

day of

experiment (5th

day p.i) the result

showed significant increase in the

probiotic groups (G II, G III) than the

control and infected group (G I).

- Lipid peroxide (Malondialdehyde,

MDA) (chart 5): the infected groups (G

I, G III) were significant increase than

the non-infected groups (control, G II);

and the infected group (G I) was

significant increase than the probiotic

infected group (G III) till the end of

experiment.

ii- Cecal pH (chart 5): the result

showed that the infected group (G I)

revealed significant increase than other

groups; and the probiotic non infected

(G II) group showed significant

decrease in the pH than the other


Chart 1; Total bacterial count.

Chart 2; Body weight gain.

Chart 3; Carcass yield and cecal

weight %.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

0

day

pi

5th

day

pi

12th

day

pi

19th

day

pi

0

day

pi

5th

day

pi

12th

day

pi

19th

day

pi

carcass yeild cecal weight %

control

infected

probiotic

probiotic infected

Body weight gain

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

10 day 20 day 30 day 40 day

control

infected

probiotic

probiotic

infected

total bacterial count

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

5th day pi 12th day pi 19th day pi

time

gro

up

scontrol

infected

probiotic

probiotic

infected


Chart 4; Serum Protein profiles (total

protein, albumin, globulin, A/G ratio)

Chart 5; Serum Malondialdehyde, and

cecal Ph.

Fig 1; Rabbit from infected group (G

I), at 5th

and 7th

day (p.i), showed

profuse watery diarrhea, the perianal

was soiled with watery feces and

gelatinous mucus.

Fig 2 ; Rabbit from infected group (G

I), at 5th

day (p.i), showed watery

yellowish to brownish content, with

gasses in cecum


I), at 12th

day (p.i), showed severely

congested mesenteric blood vessels,

and intestine had gases.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

5th

day pi

12th

day pi

19th

day pi

5th

day pi

12th

day pi

19th

day pi

MDA Cecal ph

control

infected

probiotic

probiotic infected

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

0 d

ay p

i

5th

day p

i

12th

day p

i

19th

day p

i

0 d

ay p

i

5th

day p

i

12th

day p

i

19th

day p

i

0 d

ay p

i

5th

day p

i

12th

day p

i

19th

day p

i

0 d

ay p

i

5th

day p

i

12th

day p

i

19th

day p

itotal protein albumin globulin A/G ratio

control

infected

probiotic

probiotic infected

SCVMJ, XVI (2) 2011 151

Fig 4; Rabbit infected group (G I), at

12th

day (p.i), cecum had gases with

hard contents adhere the wall. Indicate

that E. coli reduce motility and

distributed the intestinal mechanism.


I), at 19th

day (p.i), showed distended

and engorged gall bladder.

Fig 6; Rabbit infected group (G I), at

19th

day (p.i), showed heart with

precarditis appearance.

.

Table 1: Mortality, Morbidity, Lesion score and sanitary risk:

Probiotic

infected (G III) Probiotic (G II) Infected (G I) Control

7% - 7% - Mortalitiy

10.3 - 32.7 - Morbidity

0.8 - 1.9 - Lesion

score

17.3 - 39.7 - Sanitary

risk

*Rout of infection orally infected rabbits by E. coli O157 (108 CFU)

*Lesion score =total lesion score / total number of rabbits per subgroup

*sanitary risk= (morbidities+ mortalities)


Table 2: bacterial count

Probiotic

infected

(G III)

Probiotic

(G II)

Infected

(G I) Control

8 x106 17 x10

6 10 x10

6 9x10

6 5

th day p.i Total

bacterial

count 22.5 x10

6 20 x10

6 25 x10

6 21.4 x10

6 12

th day p.i

23 x106 25 x10

6 43 x10

6 15 x10

6 19

th day p.i

0.25 x106 -- 2 x10

6 -- 5

th day p.i Pathogenic

E. coli

count

0.04 x106 -- 0.16 x10

6 -- 12

th day p.i

0.01 x106 -- 0.23 x10

6 -- 19

th day p.i

* Bacterial count in different slaughtered period:

-at 22nd


day p.i)

-at 29th


day p.i)

-at 36th


day p.i)

Table 3: Growth performance

Probiotic

infected

(G III)

Probiotic

(G II)

Infected

(G I) Control

225±42.5a 250±23.6

a 240±34.8

a 240±23.6

a 10

th day

Body weight

gain

166.67±8.6bc

233.3±18.8

a 133.33±4.3

c 200±14.9

ab 20

th day

216.7±11.4a

250±7.4a 66.67±4.3

c 166.7±18.8

b 30

th day

216.6±11.4a

250±7.4a 50±0

c 83.33±4.3

b 40

th day

61.421±1.3a

61.421±1.2a 58.479±0.8

a 58.479±0.8

a Before infection

Carcass

yield

56.369±0.8bc

61.249±0.2

a 55.081±1.3

c 56.797±0.8

b 5

th day p.i

58.866±0.1b

60.50±6.0a 51.57±1.5

c 61.74±1.3

ab 12

th day p.i

63.75±0.1c 65.63±0.6

ab 62.25±0.3

d 64.68±0.3

cb 19

th day p.i

7.431±0.2a 7.431±0.2

a 7.17±0.4

a 7.17±0.4

a Before infection

Cecal

weight

percentage

9.63±0.2a 9.159 ±0. 2

a 9.15±0.2

a 9.28±0.1

a 5

th day p.i

10.5±0.2b 10.18±0. 2

b 11.7±0.5

a 9.79±0.3

b 12

th day p.i

10.009±0.2b

7.739±0.2d 10.959±0.2

a

9.0406±

0.1c

19th day p.i

*means ± SE in different groups along the experimental period, and showed the

significant between the groups arranged by litters (a b c d).

SCVMJ, XVI (2) 2011 151

Table 4: biochemical changes:

*the means ± SE of the serum changes (Serum total protein, Albumin, globulin,

Albumin to globulin (A/G) ratio and Malondialdehyde) and cecal pH changes

Discussion

Interest has been raised in diarrhea in

weaning rabbits, which induce major

commercial losses. The etiology of the

enteric diseases is multifactor Loliger

(1980); and Milon et al, (1999). One

particular strain serogroup (E. coli

O157:H7) can cause serious disease in

people. This serogroup shed in the

feces of infected animals and people.

People can get infected through food

or drinking water or milk contaminated

by such bacteria.

In this study experimentally infected

rabbits with pathogenic strain E. coli

O157: H 7 showed profuse watery

diarrhea soiling the hind limbs,

tympani, dehydration, ruff coat, loss of

body weight post infection, and

appearance of the soft pellets on the

cages, These lesions previously

recorded by Jennifer et al, (2003).

Probiotic

infected

(G III)

Probiotic

(G II)

Infected

(G I) Control

4.931±0.12a 4.931±0.12

a 3.531±0.1

b 3.531±0.08

b Before infection

total

protein

5.07±0.07 b 4.87±0.1

b 5.53±0.86

a 4.8±0.11

b 5

th day p.i

4.7±0.25a 4.73±0.12

a 4.93±0.08

a 4.81±0.19

a 12

th day p.i

5.096±0.1c 5.531±0.15

b 5.87±0.05

ab 5.069±0.1

c 19

th day p.i

2.1±0.07a 2.1±0.07

a 1.876±0.03

b 1.876±0.03

b Before infection

Albumin 2.49±0.19

a 2.09±0.07

a 2.4±0.02

a 2.2±0.05

a 5

th day p.i

2.269±0.09a 2.38±0.04

a 2.38±0.1

a 2.32±0.05

a 12

th day p.i

2.78±0.14b 2.969±0.04

b 3.4±0.12

a 2.96±0.03

b 19

th day p.i

2.83±0.18a 2.83±0.18

a 1.67±0.08

b 1.67±0.08

b Before infection

Globulin 2.6±0.1

b 2.49±0.06

b 3.1±0.11

a 2.6±0.07

b 5

th day p.i

2.47±0.16a 2.56±0.21

a 2.42±0.24

a 2.55±0.21

a 12

th day p.i

2.4±0. 06a 2.6±0.19

a 2.5±0.16

a 2.1±0.09

a 19

th day p.i

0.85±0.06b 0.85±0.06

b 1.209±0.08

a 1.209±0.08

a Before infection (A/G) ratio

(Albumin

to globulin)

1.2±0.17a 0.97±0.07

ab 0.82±0.03

b 0.86±0.02

b 5

th day p.i

0.99±0.04a 1.3±0.16

a 1.65±0.25c

a 1.3±0.16

a 12

th day p.i

1.24±0.03a 1.56±0.19

a 1.82±0.21

a 1.5±0.06

a 19

th day p.i

3.13±0.135b 1.63±0.375

d 3.77±0.14

a 2.03±0.05

c 5

th day p.i MDA

(Malondia-

ldehyde)

3.631±0.11b 1.669±0.07

d 5.431±0.37

a 2.4±0.4497

c 12

th day p.i

2.8±0.0149b 1.6±0.014

cd 8.37±0.243

a 1.73±0.048

c 19

th day p.i

5.831±0.01b 5.631±0.04

c 6.469±0.01

a 5.931±0.08

b 5

th day p.i

Cecal pH 5.6±0.0258b 5.7±0.0149

ab 5.9±0.1

a 5.7±0.048

ab 12

th day p.i

5.5±0.0298b 5.3±0.0149

c 5.7±0.078

a 5.469±0.01

b 19

th day p.i


Probiotic infected group (G III)

showed milder lesions than infected (G

I) group, the obtained result accord

with those described by many authors

Laukova et al, (2006 a, b);

Strompfova et al, (2006); and

Szaboova et al, (2008) and Hollister et

al, (1989 and 1990) The gross lesions recorded in

sacrificed infected rabbits were

accumulation of gasses in the intestine,

congested blood vessels, doughy to

watery material in the large intestine

specially cecum, congested carcass and

paranchymates organs, spleenomegaly.

Generally lesions were more

prominent in infected group (G I) as

compared with probiotic infected

group (G III). These agree with

Vachkov et al, (2004) Mortalities were (7%) in both infected

groups (G I, G III) this low result may

be due to small infected pathogenic

dose or older rabbit age , While the

morbidity showed great difference

between them as probiotic Infected

group (G III) was milder than infected

group (G I). Panda et. al., (2010)

reported that infected rabbits with E.

coli O157: H 7 , (109 cfu), showed

diarrhea in 67% of the infected white

New Zealand rabbits,and 60% of the

infected Dutch rabbits that began from

1st day after infection.

Bacteriological studies showed that

infected group (G I) showed increase

in the total bacterial till the end of

experiment. While the probiotic

infected group (G III) showed count

higher than control in (19th

day p.i),

and probiotic non infected group

showed higher count at (22nd

day of

experiment) all over the other groups;

these finding similar to Simonova et al

(2009) who found higher total bacterial

count at 22nd

day of experiment than at

27th

and 29th

.

There was increase pathogenic E. coli

count in infected group (G I) in

comparison with probiotic infected

group (G III). This result is similar to

those reported by De blas et al (1991);

Laukova et al, (2006 b); Simonova et

al (2008) and Szaboova et al, (2008)

they explained the effects of probiotics

in changing the enteric flora, reduction

of Escherichia coli, production of

antibiotic substances, and reduction of

toxic amines and ammonia levels in

the gastrointestinal tract and blood.

Marounek et al (2003); and Pinheiro

et al (2004) who found that there were

decreased frequency of E. coli

translocation and prevention of E. coli

O157:H7 growth after administration

of Probiotics, Prebiotics and fatty acids.

Concerning the mean body weight gain

of experimental rabbits at 20th

day of

experiment {3rd

day (p.i)} the infected

groups (G I, G III) showed significant

decrease in comparison with non-

infected groups (control, G II). While

at 30th

day{13th

day (p.i)}, and 40th

day

of experiment {23rd

day (p.i)} the

infected group (G I) showed significant

decrease over all other groups, While

the probiotic groups (G II, G III )


comparison with the control and

infected group (G I). Laukova et al,

(2006b); Panda et al (2010) and Petrov et al, (2005) described that the

lowered weight gain in infected groups

might be a result from lack of appetite

SCVMJ, XVI (2) 2011 151

that cause decrease feed consumption;

while the use of the probiotic E.

faecium might be increasing the feed

consumption and its better utilization.

The rabbits carcass yield at 5th

day (p.i)

the infected group (G I) showed

significant decrease than other groups

till the end of experiment, and the

probiotic non infected group (G II)

showed significant increase than

control group. The obtained results

agree with Skrivanova et al (1999) but

disagree with Onbasilar and Yalcin

(2008) who found the use of probiotic

was not different among groups in

carcass yield, as well as the weight

percentage of lung, heart, kidney and

small intestine.

The Cecal weight percentage at the 12th

day (p.i) showed significant increase in

infected group (G I) than other groups

till the end of experiment. while at 19th

day (p.i) the probiotic infected group

(G III) showed significant decrease

than infected group (G I), and the


significant decrease than other groups,

which might be related to the effect of

probiotic in minimizing the diarrhea

and fluid accumulation in the intestine

and also the decrease the colonization

of the bacteria that lead to minimizing

the gases production, with improving

the absorption of nutrients. Similar

result has been reported by Bouzaine

et. al., ( 2005) and Morelli et al,

(2006). The biochemical studies on the serum

of different groups, the serum total

protein at 5th

day (p.i) infected group (G

I) showed significant increase

(hyperproteinemia) than other groups.

While at 12th

day (p.i) there was non-

significant difference with the control

group. This agrees with Peter and

Robert (1981) who found that total

protein was increased through 7 to 9

days post infection, but by 11 to 13

days of infection, it had returned to

normal. While at 19th

day (p.i) there

were significant increases than the

control group. Frances (2002)

mentioned that the increase in total

protein in infected rabbits is due to

disease condition as diarrhea,

dehydration, haemoconcentration and

intestinal inflammation. On the other

hand the obtained result disagrees with

Garcia et al (2006); Georgieva et al,

(2008) and Oliemy (2010) who

mentioned that there was

hypoproteinemia observed in infected

group; while serum total protein level

in the probiotic non infected group (G

II) showed hyperproteinemia at the 17th

and 36th

day of experiment as

compared with the control group, these

results agree with Ogawa et al (2000);

Amrouche (2005); and Kritas et al

(2008) explained the increase in the

total protein related to the positive

effect of probiotic on the immune

status of the rabbits by improving the

"IgA" production. Eggum (1989)

attributed this to direct response on

protein intake and protein quality

improved by supplementation of

probiotics.

The serum albumin level at 19th

day

(p.i) showed significant increase

(hyperalbominia) in infected group (G

III) over the other groups that might be

due to the drastic effect of diarrhea and

dehydration on serum albumin as


mentioned by Frances (1984). While

the probiotic group (G II) showed

significant decrease in cecal pH than

other groups clarify the role of

probiotic to liberate acidic substance in

cecum to minimize the pH toward the

acidic side which alter the harmful

effect of E. coli. The obtained results

agree with De blas et al (1991) who

found that probiotic bacterial cells able

to produce lactic acid and bacteriocin

preventing the survival of pathogenic

bacteria. That disagrees with Maertens

et al (1994); Ogawa et al (2000) and

Amber et al, (2004) who found that no

differences in pH of the

gastrointestinal contents when used

different probiotic products.

Summary and conclusion

Finally it was concluded that:

1-Probiotcs have good effect on

improving rabbits performance on

rabbits.

2- Probiotic can be used as

prophylactic and control of the enteric

disease in the rabbit preweaning and

post weaning period.

3- Probiotic able to decrease

colonization and shedding of the

pathogenic bacterial in rabbit intestine,

decreasing sanitary risk, and lesion

score.

4-Probioic bacterial cell could form

antimicrobial like substance

"Bacteriocin" or produce lactic acid

which decreases the intestinal pH.

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SCVMJ, XVI (2) 2011 151

دراسه على تأثير بعض البروبيوتك على االرانب

عمر الفطام لتوضيح تاثير اضافة البروييوتك فى عند ند أيي أرنب نيوزيال 56أجريت الدراسة على عدد

تم , ماء الشرب على االنتاجيه والحمايه من االمراض المعويه التى تسبب خسائر اقتصاديه فى مرحلة الفطام

:تقسيمهم الى اريعة مجاميع

Control, infected (G I), probiotic (G II), and probiotic infected (G III)

الى ماء شرب من ( Enterococcus faecium) تم اضافة البروييوتك (G II, G III) كال من المجموعات

ЕHЕС) تم عدوتها عدوى اصطناعيه يميكروب(G I, G III) يينما المجموعات. اول يوم الى نهاية التجريه

O157: H 7 ) اوضحت النتائج ان اضافة البروييوتك الى ماء الشرب . من يدء التجريه 71عند اليوم

serum protein معدل تصافى وتشافى اللحم ووزن االمعاء وكذلك زياده فى اظهرت زياده فى االوزان و فى

profiles من التجريه ونقص فى حمضية االمعاء و 71عند اليوم ال MDAو عدد E. coli هيالمقارن

وتتلخص النتائج السايقه فى اهمية استخدامات البروييوتك ككونه طريقه ييولوجيه لمنع . يالمجموعه الضايطه

لمضادات الحيويه لحماية لاالمراض المعويه ياالضافه الى دوره االيجايى على الصحه االنتاجيه وكبديل

.المستهلك

studies on the effect of some probiotics in rabbits · scvmj, xvi (2) 2011 151 studies on the...

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