Chemo-therapeutic activity of gatifloxacin against haemorrhagic septicemia in rabbits

Abstract EN

This study was carried out on 30 rabbits suspected with hemorrhagic septicemia (20 diseased and 10 freshly dead) of different breads at age ranged from 3 to 6 months were collected from different private farms in Sharkia Province as trial for isolation the causative agents, as well as 15 clinically healthy rabbits for challenge test.

The bacteriological examination revealed that all the 30th rabbits (100 %) showed positive bacterial isolation of which 23 (76.7 %) single isolates and 7 (23.3 %) mixed isolates, the predominant isolates were P.

multocida type D1 22 (73.3 %), E.

coli 6 (20 %) and Staph.

aureus 2 (6.67 %).

The most isolates were highly sensitive to avitryl, gentamycin, oxytetracycline and norfloxacin and were resistant to amoxicillin.

The experimental test was done on 15 rabbits proved free from bacteriology and parasitology and divided into 3 equals groups, first kept as control; second dosed with gatifloxacin for 5 successive days and third one challenged, with P.

multocida type D1 intranasally then treated orally with gatifloxacin (18.7 mg / kg .wt.

/ days) daily for 5 successive days post challenge.

The blood (for separation of serum).

Collected from all rabbit's groups for biochemical analysis.

A significant increase (P < 0.05) in the total protein, AST and ALT following drug administration stoppage in non-infected dosed group.

In addition, a very high significant (P < 0.001) decrease of total protein associated with increases (P < 0.001) of AST, ALT and urea levels while creatinine level only significantly (P < 0.05) elevated, were found in infected non-treated group indicating hepatocellular and kidney damage.

Whereas, in the infected and treated group, there was a significant rise in the total protein and the elevations were highly significant in AST and ALT activities (P < 0.01) and very highly significant in urea level then non significantly changed, while cretonne level showed non-significant changes at 2ndand 6th days following stop of drug dosing.

Therefore, it could summarized that, all biochemical parameters gradually improved towards normal levels after 1 and 5 days following stop of treatment and observable general health improvement occurred in the diseased rabbits after oral administration of gatifloxacin.