Download 841 Experiments 7 and 8 indicate that the ef

TREATMENT OF AIR SAC DISEASE
Experiments 7 and 8 indicate that the effective dose was probably 200 gm./ton of
feed but would have to be increased to as
much as 400 gm./ton in severe E. coli exposure. The results of experiment 9 indicate
that high doses of furaltadone in the feed
could result in the recovery of many sick
birds. In the absence of further exposure,
treatment for S days controlled infection
which was followed by lesion healing in 3
weeks. Against infections due to E. coli and
the viruses only the nitrofurans would be
effective.
In these experiments high levels of drugs
and rather severe infections were used. For
field use the effective doses of all drugs
must be further determined by field observation. It appears that rather high levels of
CTC would be required to be effective in
controlling a PPLO infection severe
enough to allow coliform invasion to occur.
If the intestinal tract proves to be an important reservior of infection, antibiotics
such as the tetracyclines, streptomycin or
neomycin might be effective in reducing
the coliform reservoir. The effectiveness of
tetracyclines in the field, at the relatively
low doses used, might be due to their effect
on the intestinal coliforms. Prolonged feeding of the tetracyclines or streptomycin
should be avoided since antibiotic resistance can occur under these conditions.
As dust treatments, streptomycin and
furazolidone were effective if given between
Yi day before or ^2 after E. coli exposure.
The results of these experiments indicate
841
that such treatment would have to be repeated frequently for field use.
SUMMARY
The results indicate that under the conditions of these experiments:
1. The Escherichia coli infection associated with "air sac disease" can be controlled by the proper doses of furaltadone
in the feed or in the water.
2. Furaltadone allows better weight
gains than furazolidone.
3. Chlortetracycline and erythromycin
are effective in reducing the severity of the
lesions caused by Pleuropneumonia-like organisms (PPLO) alone.
4. Chlortetracycline and erythromycin
are not effective in controlling the disease
caused by E. coli alone.
5. High levels of chlortetracycline are required to quickly render air sacs infected
with PPLO and infectious bronchitis virus
resistant to E. coli invasion.
REFERENCES
Domermuth, C. H., and E. P. Johnson, 1955. An
in vitro comparison of some antibacterial
agents on a strain of avian pleuropneumonialike organisms. Poultry Sri. 34: 1395-139°.
Gross, W. B., and E. P. Johnson, 1953. Effect of
drugs on the agents causing infectious sinusitis
of turkeys and chronic respiratory diseases (air
sac infection) of chickens. Poultry Sci. 32: 260263.
Gross, W. B., 1955. Symposium on chronic respiratory of poultry 11. The role of Escherichia
coli in the cause of chronic respiratory disease
and certain other respiratory diseases. Amer. J.
Vet. Res. 19: 448-452.
NEWS AND NOTES
MAINE NOTES
G. Wayne McWard has been appointed Assistant
Professor of Poultry Science at the University of
Maine, Orono. He is a native of Illinois and did all
of his work at the University of Illinois completing
his Ph.D. in 1960. He will devote his entire time to
research in the field of Poultry Nutrition.
NEW JERSEY NOTES
Charles B. Hudson, Associate Research Specialist
in Poultry Pathology, Rutgers University, New
Brunswick, New Jersey received the Golden Egg
Award for 1961, the highest award of the New
Jersey poultry industry. The Award is made by the
New Jersey State Poultry Association.
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