Clinicopathological study of the effect of per oral immunoglobulin on experimental induced enteric colibacillosis in colostrum-deprived piglets.

Clinicopathological study of per oral immunoglobulin (lg) on experimental induced enteric colibacillosis in colostrum-deprived piglets was carried out. The objectives of this work are to study a clinicopathology and an effect of the lg on experimental induced enteric colibacillosis in both colostrum-deprived and colostrum received-piglets. Ten piglets were removed from their dams after allowance of colostrum suckling for 10 hours and serve as the colostrum-received group, were divided equally into 2 groups (A and B). Fourteen piglets were removed from their dams immediately after natural birth, as the colostrum-deprived group, were divided into 2 groups (9 piglets in group C and 5 piglets in group D). Piglets from group B and group C were orally fed 3 ml of lg for 3 times with in 2 hours intervally. Piglets from group A and D were place by feeding normal saline solution. The experimental piglets were fed with the milk replacer under close observation for 9 days. The colostrum received-group of piglets (A and B) did not show any clinical sign of illness with 100 percent (10/10) of survival rate. Whereas the piglets in groups C and D had clinical sign of diarrhea [100 percent morbidity rate (14/14)]. However mortality rate were 66.6 percent (6/9) in group c and 80 percent (4/5) in group D. The incubation period of clinical disease in group C was 96 hours where as in group D was 48 hours. Fibrinous polyserositis in the pleural and peritoneal cavities was found in post mortem examination. Histopathological study on the dead piglets revealed active hyperemia, congestion and hemorrhage in the lung, liver, spleen, kidney and small intestine. E.coli and Staphylococcus spp. was isolated from blood, spleen and intestinal content of the dead animals. Experimental colibacillosis was further studied by using piglets that survived from the natural disease. Ten ml. of the culture of enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) (4.6*10*[9) CFU/1 ml) was orally inoculated to induced the disease. After ETEC inoculation for six hours colostrum-deprived piglets showed clinical signs of diarrhea, vomiting, and severe dehydration. Under observation for 7 days all of piglets from the ETEC-fed groups were died. The lesions of experimental colibacillosis were similar yet less severe as compare to those of the natural disease. Conclusion could be drawn from this studies that colostrum was necessary to newborn piglets for protection from the natural disease. The immunoglobulin using in this study could decrease mortality and prolong the incubation period of clinical disease, yet not completely protected from clinical sign of diarrhea. Therefore, the most important control measurement of enteric colibacillosis in piglets is to ensure that each newborn piglet obtains a liberal supply of colostrum within minutes and no later than a few hours after birth. Per oral supplement of protective lg in addition to good management would be recommended for prevention of the disease.