Efficacy of gallium maltolate against Lawsonia intracellularis infection in a rabbit model. Issue 6 (15th April 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sampieri, F.; Allen, A. L.; Alcorn, J.; Clark, C. R.; Vannucci, F. A.; Pusterla, N.; Mapes, S. M.; Ball, K. R.; Dowling, P. M.; Thompson, J.; Bernstein, L. R.; Gebhart, C. J.; Hamilton, D. L.
• Is Part Of: Journal of veterinary pharmacology and therapeutics. Volume 37:Issue 6(2014)
• Page Start: 571
• Page End: 578
• Publication Date: 2014-04-15
• Subjects: Veterinary pharmacology -- Periodicals; Therapeutics -- Periodicals; 636.0895105
• DOI: 10.1111/jvp.12132
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0140-7783

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jvp12132-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>Antimicrobial efficacy against <italic>Lawsonia intracellularis</italic> is difficult to evaluate <italic>in vitro</italic>, thus, the effects of gallium maltolate's (GaM) were investigated in a rabbit model for equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE). Juvenile (5–6‐week‐old) does were infected with 3.0 × 10⁸<italic>L. intracellularis</italic>/rabbit and allocated into three groups (<italic>n </italic>= 8). One week postinfection, one group was treated with GaM, 50 mg/kg; one, with doxycycline, 5 mg/kg; and one with a sham‐treatment (control). Feces and blood were collected daily and weekly, respectively, to verify presence of <italic>L. intracellularis</italic> fecal shedding using qPCR, and seroconversion using immunoperoxidase monolayer assay. Rabbits were sacrificed after 1 week of treatment to collect intestinal tissues focusing on EPE‐affected sections. Intestinal lesions were confirmed via immunohistochemistry. No difference was noted between treatments regarding EPE‐lesions in jejunum (<italic>P </italic>= 0.51), ileum (<italic>P </italic>= 0.74), and cecum (<italic>P </italic>= 0.35), or in <italic>L. intracellularis</italic> fecal shedding (<italic>P </italic>= 0.64). GaM and doxycycline appear to have similar efficacy against EPE in infected rabbits.</p> </abstract>