Antimicrobial susceptibility to zinc bacitracin of Clostridium perfringens of rabbit origin.

Abstract

Zinc bacitracin is widely used in Italian rabbit farms to control both Epizootic Rabbit Enteropathy (ERE) and clostridiosis, and field results demonstrate useful activity. Nevertheless, data regarding the in vitro efficacy of zinc bacitracin against clostridia of rabbit origin are not available. In this study, the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of zinc bacitracin were evaluated in 123 C. perfringens strains isolated from rabbits in Italian fattening units. The agar dilution method was performed in Brucella Agar supplemented with laked sheep blood, haemin and vitamin K 1 , as recommended in NCCLS document M11-A6. Most strains (94.3%) had low MIC values (≤ 0.5 µg/ml), and a few strains (4%) were inhibited by a concentration of 1 µg/ml. Two isolates (1.6%) had a MIC value of 16µg/ml. The MIC values of ATCC reference strains showed a good fit between each batch. MIC required to inhibit the 90% of organisms was 0.5 µg/ml and the presence of only two strains with MIC=16 µg/ml revealed the susceptibility to zinc bacitracin of Italian isolates of C. perfringens from rabbit and the absence of acquired resistance.

The Effect of Exogenous Lysozyme Supplementation on Growth Performance, Caecal Fermentation and Microbiota, and Blood Constituents in Growing Rabbits

“…In the present study, the improvement in FCR and growth performance could be explained by the richness of LYZ with amino acids as well as its antioxidant and antibacterial properties, which could increase bacterial activity and feeding efficiency in rabbits [ 10 ]. The lysozyme additive had antimicrobial properties with increased protection against harmful microorganisms in the gut of animals [ 15 , 34 ]. Indeed, a high concentration of beneficial bacteria improved feed digestion and nutrient absorption [ 35 ].…”

Effects of caprylic acid and triacylglycerols of both caprylic and capric acid in rabbits experimentally infected with enteropathogenic Escherichia coli O103

“…Diarrhoea is the major cause of high morbidity and mortality of young rabbits after weaning, and consequent economic losses, in commercial rabbitries. Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) strains of the O103 serogroup have frequently been identified as a causative agent of diarrheal disease (Blanco et al, 1996;D'Incau et al, 2006;Agnoletti et al, 2006). The pathogenicity of E. coli O103 strains in rabbits has been demonstrated experimentally (Camguilhem and Milon, 1990;Licois et al, 1992;Heczko et al, 2001;Tsalie et al, 2006).…”

Comparative studies on the efficacy of lincomycin and bacitracin for the control of necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens

“…33 Moreover, in rabbits, zinc bacitracin induced improvements in erythrogram and leukogram in rabbits after CP infection. 34 The reduction of plasma protein in infected chickens suffering from NE may be due to liver damage caused by clostridial toxins, thus impaired the synthesis of albumin. 35 Previously, in broiler chickens, NE induced a significant reduction in protein and albumin coupled with an increase in total globulin and globulin fractions, α, and γ globulin.…”