QWBZP has effects on improving the absorptive function of small intestine, shortening the duration of diarrhea and rotavirus shedding from stool and alleviating the pathological changes of small intestine induced by rotavirus.

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli is a major cause of diarrhea in neonatal and post-weaning piglets. To determine the most common fimbrial antigens of ETEC in piglets with diarrhea, two investigations were carried out on intensive pig farms in Hubei province, central China. In 2002-2003 fecal samples from neonatal and post-weaning piglets with diarrhea were tested for the presence of the fimbrial antigen K88 and K99 of ETEC by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Twenty-three (10.1%) of 227 fecal samples were found to contain fimbrial antigen K88, which was identified as K88ac variant; and 13 (5.7%) samples containing K99. In 2004, another 179 fecal samples from diarrheic piglets, 1 day to 6 weeks of age, were tested for prevalence of fimbrial antigen K88, K99 and 987P. Forty-seven (26.3%) of the 179 samples carried at least one of the ETEC fimbrial antigens. K88 antigen was detected in 20.1%. In the 36 samples known to carry fimbrial antigen K88, 32 (88.9%) contained K88ad; and 4 (11.1%) contained K88ac; none of them carried K88ab. Fimbrial antigens K99 and 987P were detected in 1.1% and 6.1%, respectively. Our data indicate that K88 is the most common fimbrial antigen of ETEC associated with diarrhea in piglets in Central China.

AIM To observe the effects of Qiwei Baizhu Powder (QWBZP) on rotaviral gastroenteritis in children and in animal models.METHODS Enrolled patients were divided into two groups, and one group was treated with oral rehydration solution (ORS) and the other treat ed with oral liquid of QWBZP. Neonate mice were orally infected with 50 µ µ µ µ µL rotavirus suspension (4×10 8 PFU/mL) and treated with ORS or oral liquid of QWBZP, respectively.RESULTS Eighty-three cases of rotaviral gastroenteritis treated with QWBZP revealed a better efficacy than that treated with ORS (χ χ χ χ χ 2 = 10.87, P<0.05). The contents of sodium and glucose as well as number of patients with positive human rotavirus antigen in stool in QWBZP group were all less than that in ORS group. In a nimal models, QWBZP was found effective in treating rotavirus gastroenteritis in neonate NIH mice, as compared with control groups. In QWBZP group, the mortality of infected mice was decreased by 73.3%, the body weight of infected mice was increased, the contents of sodium and glucose as well as number of mice with positive rotavirus antigen in feces were significantly reduced, and the pathological changes such as damage of small intestinal mucosa and villi were also obviously alleviated.CONCLUSION QWBZP has effects on improving the absorptive function of small intestine, shortening the duration of diarrhea and rotavirus shedding from stool and alleviating the pathological changes of small intestine induced by rotavirus.Subject headings gastroenteritis/drug therapy; rotavirus infections/drug therapy; Qiwei baizhu powder/therapeutic use; disease models, animal

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