Antibiotic-treated Group Research Articles

Antibiotics in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations. A meta-analysis

<h3>Objective.</h3> —A meta-analysis of randomized trials was performed to estimate the effectiveness of antibiotics in treating exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). <h3>Data Sources.</h3> —English-language studies published from 1955 through 1994 were retrieved using MEDLINE,<i>Index Medicus</i>, bibliographies, and consultation with experts. MEDLINE search terms included "COPD," "chronic bronchitis," and "antibiotic(s)." <h3>Study Selection.</h3> —Only randomized trials that enrolled patients having an exacerbation of COPD, used an antibiotic in the treatment group and placebo in the control group, and provided sufficient data to calculate an effect size were included in the meta-analysis. <h3>Data Extraction.</h3> —Descriptive and outcome data from each study were independently abstracted by two authors. <h3>Data Synthesis.</h3> —Overall summary effect size of the nine trials satisfying all inclusion criteria was 0.22 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.10 to 0.34), indicating a small benefit in the antibiotic-treated group. Similar analysis of the six studies that provided data on peak expiratory flow rate changes revealed a summary effect size of 0.19 (95% CI, 0.03 to 0.35) and a summary change in peak expiratory flow rate of 10.75 L/min (95% CI, 4.96 to 16.54 L/min) in favor of the antibiotic-treated group. Sensitivity analyses did not significantly affect these results. <h3>Conclusions.</h3> —These analyses suggest a small but statistically significant improvement due to antibiotic therapy in patients with exacerbations of COPD. This antibiotic-associated improvement may be clinically significant, especially in patients with low baseline flow rates. (<i>JAMA</i>. 1995;273:957-960)

Antibiotics in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations

<h3>Objective.</h3> —A meta-analysis of randomized trials was performed to estimate the effectiveness of antibiotics in treating exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). <h3>Data Sources.</h3> —English-language studies published from 1955 through 1994 were retrieved using MEDLINE,<i>Index Medicus</i>, bibliographies, and consultation with experts. MEDLINE search terms included "COPD," "chronic bronchitis," and "antibiotic(s)." <h3>Study Selection.</h3> —Only randomized trials that enrolled patients having an exacerbation of COPD, used an antibiotic in the treatment group and placebo in the control group, and provided sufficient data to calculate an effect size were included in the meta-analysis. <h3>Data Extraction.</h3> —Descriptive and outcome data from each study were independently abstracted by two authors. <h3>Data Synthesis.</h3> —Overall summary effect size of the nine trials satisfying all inclusion criteria was 0.22 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.10 to 0.34), indicating a small benefit in the antibiotic-treated group. Similar analysis of the six studies that provided data on peak expiratory flow rate changes revealed a summary effect size of 0.19 (95% CI, 0.03 to 0.35) and a summary change in peak expiratory flow rate of 10.75 L/min (95% CI, 4.96 to 16.54 L/min) in favor of the antibiotic-treated group. Sensitivity analyses did not significantly affect these results. <h3>Conclusions.</h3> —These analyses suggest a small but statistically significant improvement due to antibiotic therapy in patients with exacerbations of COPD. This antibiotic-associated improvement may be clinically significant, especially in patients with low baseline flow rates. (<i>JAMA</i>. 1995;273:957-960)

Children with Persistent Cough – Outcome with Treatment and Role of Moraxella catarrhalis?

52 children with severe cough persisting for more than 10 days were randomized to treatment with amoxycillin/clavulanic acid or placebo in a prospective double-blinded study. Clinically suspected cases of pertussis were excluded, yet 12 (23%) of the children had laboratory verified pertussis infection. The nasopharyngeal colonization showed a predominance of Moraxella catarrhalis which was isolated in 37 (71%) children. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae were isolated in 11 (20%) and 16 (30%) children, respectively. The antibiotic-treated group had a significantly better recovery in both the pediatrician's estimation (p = 0.02) and the independent parental judgement (p = 0.002). These findings are consistent with the view that Moraxella catarrhalis could be directly involved in the pathogenesis of persistent cough in children.

Effect of antibiotic therapy on the antibiotic resistance of faecal Escherichia coli in patients attending general practitioners.

To analyse the influence of antibiotic therapy on the faecal flora of patients from general practice with complaints of a respiratory tract infection (RTI), 189 paired faecal specimens were collected, before and after completing antibiotic treatment (n = 129) and symptomatic treatment (n = 60). Faecal specimens were examined for the prevalence and degree of resistance to amoxycillin, apramycin, ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid, neomycin, nitrofurantoin, oxytetracycline, sulphamethoxazole and trimethoprim. In the antibiotic-treated group a significant increase in the prevalence of resistance to amoxycillin post-treatment from 50% to 64% (P < 0.05, Wilcoxon) was observed. In the symptomatic treated group no significant differences in the prevalence of resistance were found. Using discriminant analysis, amoxycillin and doxycycline therapy contributed to an increased prevalence of resistance to amoxycillin and oxytetracycline, respectively. In the antibiotic-treated group Escherichia coli isolates post-treatment had a significantly increased resistance rate to amoxycillin (15%-23%) and to neomycin (2%-6%) (P < 0.05, Wilcoxon). Logistic regression analysis showed a cross resistance to neomycin and kanamycin, and for kanamycin cross-resistance to apramycin, neomycin and streptomycin occurred.

Selective bowel decontamination, nutritional therapy and bacterial translocation after burn injury

We studied the influence of selective bowel decontamination (SBD) with neomycin, on bacterial translocation (BT) in rats treated with early post-burn parenteral nutrition (TPN) or enteral nutrition (TEN). Male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to receive either TPN (groups 1, 2) or an isonitrogenous, isocaloric polymeric diet (TEN, groups 3, 4) or a standard rat chow ad libitum (group 5), for 5 days after burn injury (30% b. s. area). In addition, groups 1 and 3 received a daily oral dose of neomycin (30 mg/kg) during the same period. At the end of the study, animals were killed and the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), liver (L) and spleen (S) were removed for microbiological cultures. The overall incidence of BT was MLN: 67%, L: 58% and S: 42% with a mortality rate of 12.2% In MLN and L, group 5 showed significantly less BT than groups 1 and 2 (30% vs 84%, p < 0.02) and groups 3 and 4 (38% vs 76%, p < 0.05), respectively. No differences were found between TPN and TEN groups. SBD (groups 1 and 3) resulted in a significantly lower mortality rate (26% vs 0%, p < 0.05) and BT in the liver (38% vs 100%, p < 0.001) than rats without antibiotic treatment (groups 2 and 4). It is concluded that early post-injury TPN or TEN promote BT to a greater extent than a standard chow. In addition, SBD with neomycin prevents mortality and BT after burn injury.

Biological activities of the intestinal microflora in mice treated with antibiotics or untreated and the effects of the microflora on absorption and metabolic activation of orally administered glutathione conjugates of K-region epoxides of 1-nitropyrene.

To elucidate the effects of the intestinal microflora on absorption and activation of glutathione conjugates of 4,5-epoxy-4,5-dihydro-1-nitropyrene (1-NP 4,5-oxide) and 9,10-epoxy-9,10-dihydro-1-nitropyrene (1-NP 9,10-oxide), we investigated the biological activities of the microflora in specific-pathogen-free (SPF) mice and SPF mice treated with various antibiotics and established the methodology of antibiotic treatment to eliminate the intestinal microflora. Mice were given various kinds of antibiotics by intragastric gavage twice a day for five days. A mixture of antibiotics bacitracin (BC), neomycin (NM) and streptomycin (SM) was the most effective in reducing the various activities of the intestinal microflora. The treatment decreased the bacterial counts and the activities of enzymes of the intestinal contents cysteine conjugate beta-lyase (beta-lyase), beta-glucuronidase and nitroreductase which were derived from the intestinal microflora, but did not affect the activities of gamma-glutamyltransferase and aminopeptidase which were derived from host tissue cells. Furthermore, the treatment did not affect absorption of glucose from the intestinal tract, body weight or liver enzyme activities. The treatment with only an aminoglycoside antibiotic, kanamycin or NM, decreased neither the number of anaerobes in the intestine nor the beta-lyase or nitroreductase activities from the intestinal contents. Glutathione conjugates of [3H]-1-NP oxides were administered to two groups of ICR mice that had been treated with antibiotics (BC, NM, SM) or saline (control group) orally. The radioactivity in the blood increased and reached the maximum level 2 or 3 h after administration of the conjugates in the control group; however, that in the antibiotic-treated group was only slightly increased if at all. Excretion of [3H]-labeled metabolites into the urine was approximately 20% of the total dose in the control group, but it was < 2% in the antibiotic-treated group during 48 h. After 48 h, DNA in the lower intestinal mucosa was extracted and the DNA adducts were analyzed by the 32P-postlabeling method. Three new DNA adducts were detected in the lower intestinal mucosa of the control group but not of the antibiotic-treated group. These results suggest that the intestinal microflora plays an important role in absorption of the metabolites of glutathione conjugates of 1-NP oxides from the intestinal tract and activation of the metabolites in the intestine.

Treatment of early lyme disease

purpose: To compare the safety and efficacy of azithromycin, amoxicillin/probenecid, and doxycycline for the treatment of early Lyme disease, to identify risk factors for treatment failure, and to describe the serologic response in treated patients. patients and methods: Fifty-five patients with erythema migrans and two patients with flu-like symptoms alone and fourfold changes in antibody titers to Borrelia burgdorferi were randomized to receive (1) oral azithromycin, 500 mg on the first day followed by 250 mg once a day for 4 days; (2) oral amoxicillin 500 mg and probenecid 500 mg, three times a day of each for 10 days; or (3) doxycycline, 100 mg twice a day for 10 days. If symptoms were still present at 10 days, treatment was extended with amoxicillin/ probenecid or doxycycline for 10 more days. Evaluations were done at study entry and 10, 30, and 180 days later. results: Three of the patients who initially had symptoms suggestive of spread of the spirochete to the nervous system, one from each antibiotic treatment group, subsequently developed neurologic abnormalities, but symptoms in the other 54 patients resolved within 3 to 30 days after study entry. Six of the 19 patients (32%) (95% confidence interval, 13% to 57%) given amoxicillin/probenecid developed a drug eruption, whereas none of the patients given azithromycin or doxycycline had this complication. The presence of dysesthesias at study entry was the only risk factor significantly associated with treatment failure (p <0.001). By convalescence, 72% of the patients were seropositive, and 56% still had detectable IgM responses to the spirochete 6 months later. conclusions: The three antibiotic regimens tested in this study were generally effective for the treatment of early Lyme disease, but the regimens differ in the frequency of side effects and in ease of administration.

Systemic prostacyclin in cirrhotic patients: Relationship with portal hypertension and changes after intestinal decontamination

The total body production of prostacyclin was shown to be increased in cirrhotic patients, suggesting that its synthesis by blood vessels of the systemic circulation is enhanced. However, the mechanism by which the synthesis of systemic prostacyclin is stimulated is not known. The present study investigated the urinary excretion of 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1α, an index of total body prostacyclin synthesis, first, in cirrhotics with portal hypertension (n = 19) as compared with cirrhotics with reduced portal pressure after portacaval shunt surgery (n = 18) and with control noncirrhotic subjects (n = 11), and; second, in cirrhotics before and after intestinal decontamination by oral nonabsorbable antibiotics (n = 9 antibiotic treated patients, n = 10 control nontreated cirrhotics). Control noncirrhotic subjects showed lower urinary excretion of 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1α than both groups of cirrhotics (P < 0.001). Interestingly, urinary excretion of 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1α was significantly higher in cirrhotics with portacaval shunt than in those with portal hypertension (P < 0.01). The urinary excretion of 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1α decreased significantly after intestinal decontamination in the antibiotic-treated group (580.1 ± 232.4 vs. 431.2 ± 219.2 pg/mg creatinine; P < 0.05) but not in nontreated patients (543.9 ± 214.4 vs. 581.2 ± 281.4 pg/mg creatinine; P = NS). These data suggest that the increased urinary excretion of 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1α observed in cirrhotics is not directly related to portal hypertension itself but to portal blood factors that bypass the liver. Some such factors may be of intestinal bacterial origin.

A Prospective Randomized Trial of Perioperative Cefazolin Treatment in Axillary and Groin Dissection

One hundred thirty-four patients undergoing axillary or inguinal lymph node dissection were randomized to receive perioperative treatment with either cefazolin or placebo. Risk factors for wound complications (age greater than 60 years, open wound, obesity, smoking, extremity edema, diabetes, arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease) were recorded. The rate of complications was 36% in 97 patients (72%) with any risk factor present, compared with 14% in patients with no risk factors. Complications were seen in 30% of patients: in 14% after axillary lymph node dissection, and in 64% after inguinal lymph node dissection. The risk of complications was 23% in the group administered antibiotic treatment compared with 36% in that administered placebo treatment. This trend toward fewer complications was seen only after axillary lymph node dissection, when the rate of complications was 8% in the antibiotic-treated group compared with 20% in the placebo-treated group. After inguinal lymph node dissection, the rate of complications was 69% in the antibiotic-treated group compared with 62% in the placebo-treated group.

Combination antimicrobial therapy in the treatment of acute pelvic inflammatory disease

We compared the clinical and microbiologic efficacy of two broad-spectrum combination antimicrobial regimens in the treatment of 148 patients with acute pelvic inflammatory disease. Patients were randomized to inpatient treatment with either cefoxitin and doxycycline (n = 75) or clindamycin and tobramycin (n = 73). These antibiotics were administered intravenously for at least 4 days, and up to 48 hours beyond defervescence. Patients were discharged on a regimen of oral doxycycline or clindamycin in accordance with the intravenous regimen to complete a total duration of therapy of 2 weeks. Neisseria gonorrhoeae (53%) and Chlamydia trachomatis (31%) were the microorganisms that were isolated most frequently from the genital tract of enrolled patients. At follow-up, N. gonorrhoeae was isolated in two patients, and C. trachomatis was isolated in none. The overall initial favorable response rate to combination antimicrobial therapy was 98.5% (130/132) in patients with uncomplicated pelvic inflammatory disease and 81% (13/16) in patients with pelvic inflammatory disease that was complicated by tuboovarian abscess. A greater than 70% decrease in abdominal tenderness score occurred in 89% of 111 patients within 6 weeks of hospital discharge. There were no significant differences between antibiotic treatment groups in any response categories or in toxicity. During the initial hospitalization, five patients (three with tuboovarian abscess; one with a pyosalpinx, and one with intractable acute and chronic pelvic inflammatory disease) required surgical intervention. These results support the recommendation to use broad-spectrum combination antimicrobial therapy for the treatment of acute pelvic inflammatory disease.

Influence of daptomycin on staphylococcal abscesses and experimental tobramycin nephrotoxicity

The antibacterial efficacies of daptomycin and vancomycin were compared in male Fischer rats with subcutaneous abscesses caused by either methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) or methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). The influence of daptomycin on tobramycin nephrotoxicity was also assessed. MSSA or MRSA abscesses were treated with subcutaneous daptomycin (10 mg/kg every 12 h), vancomycin (125 mg/kg every 12 h), or diluent (every 12 h) for 5 to 10 days. Rats in both antibiotic treatment groups had lower abscess bacterial counts than did controls at days 5 and 10 (P less than 0.0025). The daptomycin treatment groups had lower abscess bacterial counts than did the vancomycin treatment groups for MSSA at day 5 (P less than 0.0025) and day 10 (P less than 0.025) and for MRSA at day 10 (P less than 0.0025). Nephrotoxicity treatment groups included animals treated for 3, 7, 10, 14, and 17 days with subcutaneous diluent (every 12 h), daptomycin (20 mg/kg every 12 h), tobramycin (40 mg/kg every 12 h), and the combination of daptomycin and tobramycin. Compared with controls, animals treated with daptomycin alone exhibited no detectable nephrotoxicity. Rats given tobramycin alone developed functional and histopathologic abnormalities from days 7 through 17. Animals treated with daptomycin and tobramycin for 14 days had a lower mean concentration of creatinine in serum (P less than 0.005), higher mean creatinine clearance values (P less than 0.05), and less cortical tubular cell regeneration (P less than 0.05) than did rats treated with tobramycin alone. In rats with staphylococcal subcutaneous abscesses, daptomycin was superior to vancomycin in treating both MSSA and MRSA. Daptomycin alone caused no detectable renal injury, and in rats given daptomycin combined with tombramycin, there was less histologic and functional renal injury than in animals given tobramycin alone.

Complications associated with genital colonization in pregnancies with and without cerclage

Cultures from the cervical milieu were taken from 24 antibiotic-treated patients (group A) and from 25 patients with no antibiotic treatment (group B). Both groups had undergone cerclage and were compared to 30 randomly chosen pregnant patients without cerclage (group C). Positive cultures were obtained in 70.8% and 48% before cerclage and in 66.7% and 68% after cerclage in groups A and B, respectively. These were not significantly different from group C (56.7%). Escherichia coli was found in over 75% of positive cultures. The rate of premature deliveries and premature rupture of the membranes were significantly higher in the cerclage groups. Maternal morbidity was significantly higher in group A compared to B and C. Our data suggest that bacterial colonization of the cervix and the vagina is not influenced by cerclage and antibiotics. It is concluded that cervical cerclage is associated with increased morbidity, therefore it is indicated only for definite anatomic and/or functional defects.

Prophylactic Antibiotics for Facial Fractures

At the September 1986 meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery in San Antonio, Tex, Dr Richard A. Chole of Sacramento, Calif, reported the results of a prospective randomized trial of prophylactic antibiotics in the treatment of facial fractures. The antibiotic regimen consisted of 1 g of cefazolin administered intravenously one hour prior to the surgical procedure and again eight hours later. One hundred and one patients were randomly selected. In the entire group, there were 79 mandible fractures, 18 zygoma fractures, and four Le Fort fractures. Perioperative cefazolin therapy appeared to significantly reduce the incidence of infection: 40.9% in the nonantibiotic group vs 8.8% in the antibiotic-treated group (<i>P</i>&lt;.005). On closer inspection, it was seen that all infections occurred in patients with mandibular fractures, and most of these infections occurred in those patients whose fractures required open reduction. Among patients with mandible fractures requiring open

Antibiotics and Carbohydrate Malabsorption in Newborns

In this issue, Bhatia et al 1 report that full-term neonates who received parenteral antibiotics had a greater stool frequency, higher incidence of fecal-reducing substances, and greater requirement for dietary manipulation than did matched controls who did not receive antibiotics. Since all infants were receiving either a standard lactose-containing formula or breast milk and symptoms resolved by reducing the strength of the formula or by changing to a lactose-free formula, lactose malabsorption was implicated as the cause of these findings. From the data presented, it is difficult to ascertain the severity of the clinical problem. Although stool frequency was greater in the antibiotic-treated group, the difference was small (3.1 vs 2.2 stools per day). Body weight changes for the two groups are not given. The magnitude of caloric loss in stools was not quantitated. Yet, by clinical criteria alone, 14 of 25 infants in the antibiotic-treated

Determination of β-aspartylpeptidase activity in human faeces by high-performance liquid chromatography using pre-column derivatization with phenyl isothiocyanate

Bacterial enzymes are responsible for degradation of β-aspartyl peptides in the intestinal tract. These peptides, especially the dipeptide β-aspartylglycine, are useful as indicators of an impaired anaerobic intestinal microflora of antibiotic-treated patients. A method to separate the dipeptides β-aspartylalanine, β-aspartylglutamine, β-aspartylglycine and β-aspartylserine, using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and pre-column derivatization with phenyl isothiocyanate, was developed. This method was used to determine β-aspartylpeptidase activity in faecal supernatants of healthy human volunteers and antibiotic-treated patients with β-aspartylglycine as substrate. This activity was absent in the antibiotic-treated group, while in individuals with an intact intestinal flora it ranged from 16 to 100% degradation per 18 h. In addition, it was found that faecal enzyme preparations cleaved β-aspartylglycine at a much lower rate than the other β-aspartyl peptides.

Newer beta-lactam antibiotics in the treatment of experimental Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis.

Antistaphylococcal activity of three beta-lactam antibiotics, i.e. cefmenoxime, cefotaxime and latamoxef (moxalactam) was compared with that of nafcillin by studying cure rates of aortic valvular endocarditis caused by one of three clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus in New Zealand white male rabbits. The animals were randomly allocated to a control and four antibiotic treatment groups. Each animal except the controls received 60 mg/kg of one antibiotic intramuscularly twice daily for two weeks, beginning 24 h after induction of endocarditis. The aortic valve was sterilized in 11 of 15 (73%) animals treated with cefmenoxime, nine of 13 (69%) treated with cefotaxime, 11 of 13 (85%) treated with latamoxef and 12 of 15 (80%) treated with nafcillin. All nine animals in the control group developed aortic valvular vegetations with an average of 2.4 X 10(9) cfu/g. The differences in sterility rates resulting from treatment with the four antibiotics were not statistically significant (P greater than 0.70).

Experimental study of antibiotic-induced immunosuppression in mice—II. Th, Ts and NC cell involvement

In penicillin( pen), streptomycin( str), kanamycin( kan) and tetracycline( tet)-treated CBA/J adult mice, no difference was noticed as concerned spleen T “helper” ( Th) cell activity, as studied by means of response to PHA of X-irradiated/whole T fraction cell mixtures in vitro. On the contrary, in erythromycin( erm), colistin( col) and chloramphenicol( chl)-treated groups, Th cell activity was significantly decreased. On the other hand, spleen T “suppressor” ( Ts) cell activity (assayed by response to PHA of mixtures containing pre-incubated with Concanavalin A and whole T cells, respectively) was augmented in samples arising from chl-treated group. These results are also supported by experiments testing Th or Ts soluble factors, induced in spleen T cells belonging to each antibiotic-treated group and purified by affinity chromatography (Concanavalin A-Sepharose 4B columns). Thus, it was confirmed both Th cell deficiency in erm, col or chl-groups, and Ts cell augmentation in chl-group. As regards spleen “natural cytotoxic” ( NC) cell activity, as tested in a xenogeneic “target” cell substrate, a diminished cytotoxic capacity manifested chl-group-derived NC cells, possibly by richness in own “non-specific suppressor” ( NSS) cells. NC cell samples in vitro supplemented with NSS cells arising from suckling mouse spleens and a lower cytotoxic activity, in a larger extent in chl-group-derived NC cells, as compared to other groups. The pre-incubation of control-group-NC cells with several antibiotic preparations in vitro was followed by decrease of the cytotoxic values in erm, col and chl-samples, suggesting a drug-induced NC receptor “masking”, that prevented “target” cell recognition in mice—II. In the case of NSS addition in vitro, as strong inhibition of the cytotoximity occurred in chl-treated NC cells derived from the control group, that proves a possible chloramphenicol-induced immunodepression by potentiation of NSS inhibitory effect on NC cells. Based upon data from the present work, as well as from the previous work, the authors suggest a classification of several mechanisms by which the antibacterial antibiotics can act as immunosuppressive.

Prophylactic antibiotics in simple hand lacerations

A randomized, prospective study of 265 patients with hand lacerations was carried out to define the role of prophylactic antibiotics in the management of simple, sutured wounds of the hand. Two hundred sixty-five patients were followed up until suture removal or satisfactory wound healing. There were a total of three infections (1.1%). There were no noticeable differences in the incidence of infection in the antibiotic and placebo treatment groups. It is concluded that prophylactic antibiotics are an unnecessary adjunct in the treatment of simple lacerations of the hand and no replacement for meticulous wound management. (JAMA1981;245:1055-1056)

Prophylactic Antibiotics in Simple Hand Lacerations

A randomized prospective study of 265 patients with hand lacerations was carried out to define the role of prophylactic antibiotics in the management of simple, sutured wounds of the hand. Two hundred sixty-five patients were followed up until suture removal or satisfactory wound healing. There were a total of three infections (1.1%). There was no noticeable differences in the incidence of infection in the antibiotic and placebo treatment groups. It is concluded that prophylactic antibiotics are an unnecessary adjunct in the treatment of simple lacerations of the hand and no replacement for meticulous wound management.

INFLUENCE OF PORCINE IMMUNOGLOBULIN ADMINISTRATION ON SURVIVAL AND GROWTH OF PIGS WEANED AT TWO AND THREE WEEKS OF AGE

Three experiments were conducted to study growth, incidence of scouring and mortality of 2- and 3-wk weaned piglets fed immunoglobulins (IMG) derived from abbatoir porcine serum. In experiment 1, 20 piglets weaned at 2 wk of age were randomly divided into a control and an IMG-treated group. In both groups 1 × 1012 organisms of a pathogenic strain of Escherichia coli was administered by stomach tube. The IMG-treated group had a faster (P &lt; 0.01) average daily gain, reduced incidence of scouring (P &lt; 0.01) and lower mortality (P &lt; 0.07) than the control group. In experiment 2, 36 piglets weaned at 3 wk of age were allotted to a control and IMG-treated group. In the absence of a loading dose of E. coli there were no significant differences in average daily gain, scour scores or rectal temperature between the control and the IMG-treated groups. In the third experiment, 72 piglets were weaned at 3 wk of age and randomly allotted to three treatments: a control, an IMG-treated and an antibiotic-treated (Neomycin Sulfate) group. The results of the former two groups were similar to those obtained in experiment 2. The antibiotic-treated group had a faster (P &lt; 0.01) gain than both control and IMG group despite the similarity in the incidence of scouring.