EFFECTS OF ANTOX® AND BACTOFORT® ON CLINICO-PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN ISA BROWN CHICKS INOCULATED WITH VERY VIRULENT INFECTIOUS BURSAL DISEASE VIRUS

EFFECTS OF ANTOX® AND BACTOFORT® ON CLINICO-PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN ISA BROWN CHICKS INOCULATED WITH VERY VIRULENT INFECTIOUS BURSAL DISEASE VIRUS

Abstract:

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is endemic in Nigeria and outbreaks occur despite vaccination. Probiotics exert beneficial effects on animals. This study evaluated the ameliorative effects of probiotics, Antox® and Bactofort® on clinicopathological changes in ISA Brown chicks, inoculated with very virulent infectous bursal disease virus (vvIBDV). Two hundred ISA Brown day-old chicks were divided into four groups of 50 each. Groups A and B were treated from day-old to 42 days of age with Antox® and Bactofort®, respectively and inoculated with vvIBDV at 28 days of age, groups C and D served as positive and negative controls, respectively. Packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration (Hb), red blood cell (RBC), total (TWBC) counts and differential leucocyte count, erythrocytic indices, activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and malondialdehyte (MDA) concentration were determined. The birds were observed for mortality from day one postinoculation (pi). Mortality rate in groups A (34.76), B (47.60) and C (72.70) lasted for four, five and eight days. At day, 7 postinoculation (dpi), five chicks from each group were selected and euthanized. Their body (BD), bursae of Fabricius (BF), spleen (SPL) and thymus (THY) were weighed, and there organ-body weight (BD) ratios calculated. There was a significant (P < 0.001) difference in RBC count between groups A (5.40 ± 00.29 × 1012/l), B (4.10 ± 0.43 × 1012/l) and C (3.40. ± 0.43 × 1012/l) at 7 dpi differed significantly. The difference in TWBC between group A (8.90 ± 0.29 × 109/l) and C (4.30 ± 0.37 × 109/l) at 7 dpi differed significantly (P < 0.001). The TWBC in group B (7.00 ± 00.42 × 109/l) was higher (P < 0.01) than that of group C (4.30 ± 00.37 × 109/l) at 7 dpi. There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in heterophil counts in group A (2.22 ± 00.26 × 109/l) and C (1.38 ± 00.29 × 109/l) at 7 dpi, and between group B (1.83 ± 00.05 × 109/l) and C at 7 dpi. The lymphocyte counts between groups A (7.42 ± 00.47 × 109/l), B (6.99 ± 00.42 × 109/l) and C (2.79 ± 00.12 × 109/l) at 7 dpi differed significantly (P < 0.001). The GPx activity recorded in group A (45.97 ± 60.90 μg/mL) was significantly (P < 0.001) lower than that of C (79.80 ± 40.63 μg/mL) at 7 dpi. There was significant difference (P < 0.01) between group B (55.59 ± 40.99 μg/mL) and C (79.80 ± 40.63 μg/mL) at 7 dpi. The MDA concentrations between groups A (826.22 ± 17.24 nmol/mg), B (873.10 ± 24.22 nmol/mg) and C (1406.86 ± 25.00 nmol/mg) at 7 dpi were different (P < 0.001). The BD weight in group A (233.40 ± 70.13 g) were higher (P < 0.001), compared to that of group C (140.60 ± 10.03 g) at 7 dpi. The BD between groups B (233.40 ± 90.10 g) and C (140.60 ± 10.03 g) at 7 dpi differed significantly (P < 0.01). The enzyme-linked immune-sorbent antibody titre level in groups A (9.12 ± 00.52) and B (8.12 ± 1.58) was higher compared to that of group C (4.42 ± 1.87) at 7 dpi. In conclusion, Antox® and Bactofort® ameliorated the negative effects of vvIBDV on RBC, TWBC, heterophil, lymphocyte, BD, GPx, and MDA, and reduced mortality. Antox® and Bactofort® neutralize most of the vvIBDV, thereby protecting the integrity of BF, SPL and THY. It is recommended that Antox® and Bactofort® could be used to ameliorate IBD.

EFFECTS OF ANTOX® AND BACTOFORT® ON CLINICO-PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN ISA BROWN CHICKS INOCULATED WITH VERY VIRULENT INFECTIOUS BURSAL DISEASE VIRUS