- Email: [email protected]
Control of Infectious Synovitis
1016
J. J. BEGIN AND R. B. GRAINGER Sci. 35: 672-674. Moreng, R. E., R. L. Bryant and D. G. Gossler, 1956b. Gonad and comb response of mature male chickens to diethylstilbestrol as influenced by breed and dosage. Poultry Sci. 35: 476-182. Romoser, G. L., 1956. Studies with chicks and poults involving dienestrol diacetate, furazoladone, arsanilic acid, coccidiostats, antibiotics and poultry by-products. Proceedings University of Maryland 1956 Nutrition Conference for Feed Manufacturers. Snedecor, G. W., 1946. Statistical Methods. The Collegiate Press Inc., Ames, Iowa. Sturkie, P. D., 1946. The effect of estrogens upon the meat quality of old cocks and hens. Poultry Sci. 25:365-368. Thayer, R. H., R. G. Jaap and R. Penquite, 1954. Fattening chickens by feeding estrogens. Poultry Sci. 23:555.
Control of Infectious Synovitis 3. THE EFFICACY OF CHLORTETRACYCLINE WITH RELATION TO TIME OF EXPERIMENTAL INFECTION1 J. K. BLETNER, 2 D. C. SHELTON, N. O. OLSON AND C. E. WEAKLEY, JR. Departments of Animal Husbandry and Agricultural Biochemistry, West Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, Morgantown (Received for publication April 15, 1957)
I
NFECTIOUS synovitis as caused by a filterable agent has been* satisfactorily controlled in experimentally infected laboratory birds. Studies by Olson et al. (1957), Peterson et al. (1955-56) and Shelton et al. (1957) showed continuous chlortetracycline or oxytetracycline prophylaxis at 200 grams per ton of feed to be effective. Medication was more effective when started prior to or at time of experimental infection than if started slightly later. Wills and Delaplane (1955) using 200 to
1 Published with the approval of the Director of the West Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station as Scientific Paper No. 549. Support provided in part by funds allocated to regional project NE-5. 2 Present address, Department of Poultry Science, Ohio State University, Columbus.
500 grams of chlortetracycline per ton of feed reported that withdrawal of the medication resulted in the appearance of typical synovitis signs. Shelton et al. (1957) observed the same effect even when the antibiotic was fed for a longer period of time. Wills and Delaplane (1955) also noted that medication for five days at 200 grams followed by continuous feeding of 50 grams was inadequate in controlling the disease. Complete control was obtained by Shelton et al. (1957) with continuous chlortetracycline feeding at 200 grams even though medication was initiated after visible signs appeared. Signs usually occurred by the fourth day subsequent to experimental infection. Oxytetracycline was effective also but to a lesser
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Victoria, McPherson Library Serials on April 8, 2015
Issawi, H. F., S. S. Khishin and S. Hafez, 1956. Response of growth and dressing out percentage in imported breeds of cockerels to stilbestrol implantation in the subtropics. Poultry Sci. 35: 8 5 92. Lorenz, F. W., 1945. The influence of diethylstilbestrol on fat deposition and meat quality in chickens. Poultry Sci. 24:128-134. Lorenz, F. W., 1953. The use of estrogens for fattening poultry. National Academy of SciencesNational Research Council Pub. 266, National Research Council, 2101 Constitution Ave. N. W., Washington, D. C. Lorenz, F. W., 1954. Effects of estrogens on domestic fowl and applications in the poultry industry. Vitamins and Hormones, X I I : 235-275. Moreng, R. E., and R. L. Bryant, 1956a. Body weight gains and dressing loss as affected by breed in diethylstilbestrol treated males. Poultry
CONTROL OF INFECTIOUS SYNOVITIS TABLE 1.—Experiment plan
Age at start of treatment
Age when treatment was discontinued
Observation after treatment was discontinued
(Days)
(Days)
(Days)
(Days)
19 before 2 before 0 2 after 4 after 8 after 12 after
1 17 19 21 23 27 31
45» 45» 45» 47*
12 12 12 10 8 0 0
Time chlortetracycline treatment relative to inoculation
49 57t. 57f
Chlortetracycline levels
(gms./ton) 100 200 300 X X X X X X
-
X X X X X X X
X X X X X X X
Control treatments (Basal ration only) 1. Non-inoculated 2. Infected 3, Non-infected (con trol egg yolk injected irl footpad) * The period of medication was 26 days in all treatments except in those where the chlortetracycline was given eight and twelve days after the birds were inoculated. t Medication continued until the experiment was terminated.
broth. No growth was obtained when this inoculum was placed on nutrient agar.
The three control treatments maintained were as follows: (1) non-inoculated, This experiment was conducted with (2) infected and (3) non-infected but inunsexed New Hampshire chicks. At one jected with 0.25 ml. of yolk material taken day old they were wing banded and 12 from normal nine-day old embryos and chicks were placed in each of 23 electric- diluted 50 percent with nutrient broth. ally-heated chick batteries having wire Chlortetracycline was fed at levels of floors. These batteries were in an air- 100, 200, and 300 grams per ton of feed conditioned room where uniform tem- according to the plan presented in Table perature and humidity could be main- 1. The time chlortetracycline treatment tained at desired levels. The ANRC stan- began relative to the inoculation with the dard chick and broiler diet suggested by infective agent, the age of the birds at the Briggs et al. (1954) was used as the basal start ofj the chlortetracycline treatment, ration. This ration contained four grams the age of the birds at the time when the of procaine penicillin and 90 grams of antibiotic was discontinued and the arsanilic acid per ton of ration. period of observation subsequent to treatAt 19 days of age the chicks in 21 of ment are given in Table 1. All chicks these batteries were experimentally in- were necropsied. fected by injecting into the synovial RESULTS AND DISCUSSION membranes of the left footpad 0.25 ml. of a virulent culture of the infectious synoInfluence of chlortetracycline on signs and vitis agent. The inoculum was yolk mate- lesions. Greater protection with chlorrial from the third embryo passage of tracycline medication was obtained (Table synovitis agent 29M (Olson et al., 1956) 2) in birds inoculated with the infectious diluted 50 percent with sterile nutrient synovitis agent when medication was EXPERIMENTAL
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extent than chlortetracycline. Studies are in progress to learn more regarding this difference. This difference in efficacy between these antibiotics may be explained by strain difference of the agent (Olson et ah, 1956), age of bird, time of medication and pathogenicity of the culture. In commercial flocks it is very difficult to ascertain the onset of the disease and usually advanced stages are present in many birds by the time a positive diagnosis is made. The economic aspects of an investigation to obtain information on both prophylatic and delayed therapeutic medication are desirable. Therefore, an experiment was designed to test the efficacy of three levels of chlortetracycline on the control of infectious synovitis when this antibiotic is given before, at the time of and after inoculation.
1017
0
1
1
0
1
1
1
6
6
3 4 6 6 7 7 7 7
3 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 2 2 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
5 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
4 5 6 6 5 5 5 6
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0
0
1
3
1
6
6
6
7
0
4
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
2
0
0
1
8
10 10 10 10 9 7 7 7
10
10
7
8 8 8 8 7 7 5 5
9
8
5
4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
4
5
6 11 7 4 4 4 5 8 12 12 11 10 8 8
300
5 1 0 0 0 0 0
8 11 9 9 9 9 10
6 4 0 0 0 0 0
7 2 1 1 1 1 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 1 1 2 2
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 0 0 0
100 200
100 200 300
Grams/t on
8
300
1 0 0 0 0 0 1
* Line denotes the day on which medication was withdrawn. t One bird died on 26th day and three birds died on 30th day.
2
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2
33 36 40 43 47 50 54 57
1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0
1
30
Lesions at necropsy
0
0
0
0
0
1
28
0
0
0
0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 1 1 1 *1
0 0 1 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 1 1 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
100 200
100 200 300
100 200 300
300
Grams/t on
Grams/t on
Grams/ton
Grams/ton
Grams/t on 100 200
4
2
2
19
Days after inoculation
Day o: inoculation 0
Days before inoculation
4 8 12 IS 19 22 26
Days after
Start of chlortetracyclme treatments and the level of treatment
TABLE 2.—Importance of early medication in the control of infectious synovitis Number of Birds Showing Signs and Lesions
//ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Victoria, McPherson Library Serials on April 8, 2015 1
7 3 2 2 2 2 2 1
8
8
5 7 8 8 8 8 8
200
0
7 6 6 4 4 4 2 1
8
10
7 12 12 12 10 10 10
300
Grams/ton
12
12
8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
«t
11
7 12 12 12 12 12
Inf.
0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0
0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inf.
Not
No medication
Controls
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O W
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O 2j
O
O
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CONTROL OF INFECTIOUS SYNOVITIS
each of the three antibiotic levels. Nineteen of the 36 birds irrespective of the chlortetracycline level developed the infection during the 27-day observation period when no chlortetracycline was given. Of these 19 birds, seven had no signs prior to or during the period of medication, but developed signs of synovitis after the medication was discontinued. Eleven birds had signs of the infection before medication. These signs disappeared during the 26-day medication period and then reappeared after the conclusion of the medication. One bird at the 100 gram level showed signs throughout the experiment. Six other birds showed signs before the medication period, but these signs disappeared during chlortetracycline medication and never reappeared. When eight and twelve days lapsed before medication with chlortetracycline was initiated, the signs of synovitis were well advanced although no evidence of spread to other joints was noted. Treatment with chlortetracycline at all three levels brought about a marked increase in feed consumption within 72 hours. This was closely followed by an increased rate of gain in both groups of birds. As the treatment continued there occurred a gradual decrease in the severity of the swellings and in some birds the signs disappeared. Recovery was not complete in all birds and therefore, the antibiotic was continued throughout the experimental period. As shown in Figures 1 to 4 the feed efficiency of these groups after four days of medication was essentially the same as the non-inoculated control birds and remained that way for the duration of the experiment. The rate of recovery was greatest in those birds receiving the highest level of chlortetracycline. The non-inoculated control chicks showed no evidence of infection until 57 days after the other chicks had been in-
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given before or on the day of inoculation than if given later. In those groups given early medication an occasional bird showed slight signs of the infection which usually disappeared during the medication period. After 26 days of chlortetracycline intake two of 108 birds still had a slight swelling at the site of inoculation. In the following 31-day period when no medication was given, an additional five birds developed swollen footpads as evidence of the infection. The level of chlortetracycline medication (100, 200, or 300 grams per ton) did not seem to influence the results. When a period of two days lapsed between the time of inoculation and the chlortetracycline medication, signs of infectious synovitis appeared in two birds at the 100 gram level. This occurred while these birds were receiving the antibiotic. At the 200 and 300 gram level of chlortetracycline treatment no signs of infection appeared during the medication period. However, on the 30th day which was two days after the chlortetracycline was discontinued, signs appeared in several birds. Eventually fifty percent of the birds irrespective of chlortetracycline level developed signs of infectious synovitis. When a period of four days was permitted between the time of inoculation and the chlortetracycline treatment, 59 of 108 birds showed signs of infection (25 with slight swellings, 23 with swellings and 11 with marked swellings). Chlortetracycline given to 36 of these birds, 18 of which showed some degree of swelling, on the fourth day following inoculation brought a prompt reduction in the degree of swelling. By the end of the 26-day medication period only one of the 18 birds showed any degree of swelling. Three days after chlortetracycline was discontinued, signs of infection appeared in birds at
1019
1020
J. K. BLETNER, D. C. SHELTON, N. 0 . OLSON AND C. E. WEAKLEY, JR.
oculated. At this time one bird appeared to have a questionable swelling, but careful examination at necropsy revealed no definite indication or proof of infection. Both Olson et al. (1956) and Wills and Delaplane (1955) have obtained evidence that the disease can be transmitted to uninoculated controls. I t appeared that intimate contact was necessary and the incubation period was 24 to 80 days. Another group of non-infected control chicks were injected with yolk material from normal embryos. No visible swellings occurred by the 44th day. At that time they were necropsied and no evidence of infection was observed. There were no adverse effects caused by introduction of the yolk material into the footpad. By the eighth day after inoculation all of the birds in the inoculated control groups were visibly infected. By the 19th day five birds were noted to have involvement in appendages other than at the site of inoculation. Later a similar spread of the infection was observed in two more birds. One chick died on the 26th day and three others died on the 30th day. Marked swellings developed in, the remaining chicks but the infection was localized in the inoculated leg. In these birds which did not develop a generalized infection,
TIME MEDICATION STARTED
8 12 15 19 22 26 DAYS AFTER INOCULATION FIG. 2. The effect on feed conversion of 100 grams of chlortetracycline during the control and treatment of infectious synovitis.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Victoria, McPherson Library Serials on April 8, 2015
12 15 19 22 26 8 DAYS AFTER INOCULATION FIG. 1. Feed conversion of normal birds and birds with infectious synovitis.
there was a gradual recession of the swellings as the experiment continued beyond 30 days. By the end of the experiment very noticeable improvement had occurred. Growth rate, feed consumption and feed efficiency during the latter part of the experiment indicate that very slow recovery was occurring. Except in the infected control group no mortality occurred during this experiment. In those groups receiving chlortetracycline the infection did not spread beyond the inoculated leg. In general, the number of birds with synovitis and the extent of the lesions decreased as the level of antibiotic was increased. Necropsy observations were in very good agreement with the signs of infection observed upon examination of the live bird. There were minor differences which appeared in the birds with slight swelling. Effect on feed efficiency. Because the effect of time and level of medication influenced both feed consumption and growth rate, results are expressed as feed efficiency. Therefore, Figures 1 to 4 show how feed efficiency was influenced for the 26-day period following inoculation by the level of antibiotic fed and the time
CONTROL OF INFECTIOUS SYNOVITIS
8 12 /5, 19 22 26 DAYS AFTER. INOCULATION FIG. 3. The effect on feed conversion of 200 grams of chlortetracycline during the control and treatment of infectious synovitis.
8 12 15 19 22 29 DAYS AFTER. INOCULATION FIG. 4. The effect on feed conversion of 300 grams of chlortetracycline during the control and treatment of infectious synovitis.
was very poor in the infected control group. This was expected since these birds gained approximately 20 percent as rapidly as the noninoculated control group and the feed consumption never dropped below 50 percent of what the control group consumed. The severely infected birds gained slowly and usually lost weight shortly before death. The method of transmission of infectious synovitis under field conditions is unknown. At present, it is impossible to tell when a flock of birds may be exposed. Even the early signs of the disease are confused with coccidiosis or some other disease. By the time a positive diagnosis can be made some birds are usually in the advanced stages. The results reported in this study show that the sooner chlortetracycline medication is begun the greater is efficacy. If severely infected birds are culled from the flock and medication is started, further spread of the disease should be minimized. SUMMARY
The efficacy of chlortetracycline for the control of infectious synovitis depended
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when medication was started. Since the results obtained when medication was started at 19 days before inoculation, two days before inoculation, the day of inoculation, two days after inoculation and four days after inoculation on feed efficiency were essentially identical, only the results obtained at 19 days before inoculation and four days after inoculation are^shown. More severe signs of infection occurred in those birds where medication was delayed eight and twelve days after inoculation and this is shown in terms of feed efficiency, Figures 2 to 4. There was no important difference in feed efficiency between the non-inoculated controls (Figure 1) and the groups fed chlortetracycline (Figures 2 to 4) providing medication was initiated by the fourth day after inoculation and given continuously therefore. If medication was delayed eight or twelve days after inoculation, there was a marked increase in the feed conversion ratio. A rapid increase in feed consumption and growth occurred when chlortetracycline was added to the feed. Within three to four days the feed efficiency of these groups had returned to that for the non-inoculated control birds. The feed conversion ratio (Figure 1)
1021
1022
J. K. BLETNER, D. C. SHELTON, N. 0. OLSON AND C. E. WEAKLEY, J R .
Feed efficiency was adversely affected beginning with the fourth day after inoculation in untreated groups. Upon chlortetracycline therapy, feed efficiency rapidly improved and after three to four days came equivalent to that of the noninoculated controls. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors are indebted to the following organizations for material gratuitously supplied during the course of this investigation. Lederle Laboratories Division, American Cyanamid Company, Pearl River, New York for Aureomycin T.F.-15, a source of chlortetracycline; Gorton-Pew
Fisheries Company, Gloucester, Massachusetts for condensed fish solubles; Harper Feed Mills, Inc. Washington, Pennsylvania for dried whey products; Limestone Corporation of America, Newton, New Jersey for Dela-Mix, a source of trace minerals; Nopco Chemical Company, Harrison, New Jersey for vitamin A (Nopcay 10) and vitamin D 3 (Super Nopdex 15); Shea Chemical Corporation, Baltimore, Maryland for dicalcium phosphate; Merck and Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey for B-complex vitamins, menadione, and procaine penicillin; Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, Illinois for arsanilic acid. REFERENCES Briggs, G. M., G. F. Combs, L. Friedman, J. C. Fritz, R. J. Lillie, F. W. Quackenbush and H. W. Titus, 1954. Standard chick and broiler diet. Animal Nutrition Research Council News Letter, Vol. 1: No. 2. Olson, N . O., D. C. Shelton, J. K. Bletner, D. A. Munro and G. C. Anderson, 1956. Studies of infectious synovitis in chickens. Am. J. Vet. Res. 17: 747-754. Olson, N. O., D. C. Shelton, J. K. Bletner and C. E. Weakley, Jr., 1957. Infectious synovitis control. 2. A comparison of levels of antibiotics. Am.J. Vet. Res. 18:200-203. Petersen, E. H., R. Chalquest and H. G. Luther, 1955-56. Oxytetracycline in the prophylaxis of synovitis in experimentally infected chicks. Antibiotics Annual, 1955-56: 313-318. Medical Encyclopedia, Inc., New York, N. Y. Shelton, D. C , J. K. Bletner, N. O. Olson, G. C. Anderson and C. E. Weakley, Jr., 1957. Control of infectious synovitis. 1. Continuous feeding of antibiotics and the influence of diethylstilbestrol and coccidiostats. Poultry Sci. 36:113-121. Wills, F. K., and J. P : Delaplane, 1955. Transmission and therapy studies on an agent which produces arthritis in chickens. Proceedings Book, Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 92nd Ann. Meeting: 350357.
AUGUST 5-8—POULTRY SCIENCE ASSOCIATION, ANNUAL MEETING, CORNELL UNIVERSITY, ITHACA, N.Y.
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on the time of medication in relation to exposure and the level of the drug used. All levels (100, 200 and 300 grams per ton of feed) of chlortetracycline controlled the infection when given 19 and 2 days before and the day of inoculation. Withdrawal of the medication 26 days later resulted in the appearance of signs of infection in approximately 1 of 12 birds. When medication was delayed after inoculation by 2 and 4 days signs of synovitis were satisfactorily controlled at all levels, however, withdrawal of the drug after 26 days of medication resulted in reappearance of signs of synovitis in approximately 50 percent of the birds. This occurred with all levels of medication. When medication was delayed 8 and 12 days after inoculation a slow but marked recession of signs occurred during the 49 and 45-day treatment period respectively. The rate of recovery was greatest in those birds receiving the highest level of chlortetracycline.
J. J. BEGIN AND R. B. GRAINGER Sci. 35: 672-674. Moreng, R. E., R. L. Bryant and D. G. Gossler, 1956b. Gonad and comb response of mature male chickens to diethylstilbestrol as influenced by breed and dosage. Poultry Sci. 35: 476-182. Romoser, G. L., 1956. Studies with chicks and poults involving dienestrol diacetate, furazoladone, arsanilic acid, coccidiostats, antibiotics and poultry by-products. Proceedings University of Maryland 1956 Nutrition Conference for Feed Manufacturers. Snedecor, G. W., 1946. Statistical Methods. The Collegiate Press Inc., Ames, Iowa. Sturkie, P. D., 1946. The effect of estrogens upon the meat quality of old cocks and hens. Poultry Sci. 25:365-368. Thayer, R. H., R. G. Jaap and R. Penquite, 1954. Fattening chickens by feeding estrogens. Poultry Sci. 23:555.
Control of Infectious Synovitis 3. THE EFFICACY OF CHLORTETRACYCLINE WITH RELATION TO TIME OF EXPERIMENTAL INFECTION1 J. K. BLETNER, 2 D. C. SHELTON, N. O. OLSON AND C. E. WEAKLEY, JR. Departments of Animal Husbandry and Agricultural Biochemistry, West Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, Morgantown (Received for publication April 15, 1957)
I
NFECTIOUS synovitis as caused by a filterable agent has been* satisfactorily controlled in experimentally infected laboratory birds. Studies by Olson et al. (1957), Peterson et al. (1955-56) and Shelton et al. (1957) showed continuous chlortetracycline or oxytetracycline prophylaxis at 200 grams per ton of feed to be effective. Medication was more effective when started prior to or at time of experimental infection than if started slightly later. Wills and Delaplane (1955) using 200 to
1 Published with the approval of the Director of the West Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station as Scientific Paper No. 549. Support provided in part by funds allocated to regional project NE-5. 2 Present address, Department of Poultry Science, Ohio State University, Columbus.
500 grams of chlortetracycline per ton of feed reported that withdrawal of the medication resulted in the appearance of typical synovitis signs. Shelton et al. (1957) observed the same effect even when the antibiotic was fed for a longer period of time. Wills and Delaplane (1955) also noted that medication for five days at 200 grams followed by continuous feeding of 50 grams was inadequate in controlling the disease. Complete control was obtained by Shelton et al. (1957) with continuous chlortetracycline feeding at 200 grams even though medication was initiated after visible signs appeared. Signs usually occurred by the fourth day subsequent to experimental infection. Oxytetracycline was effective also but to a lesser
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Victoria, McPherson Library Serials on April 8, 2015
Issawi, H. F., S. S. Khishin and S. Hafez, 1956. Response of growth and dressing out percentage in imported breeds of cockerels to stilbestrol implantation in the subtropics. Poultry Sci. 35: 8 5 92. Lorenz, F. W., 1945. The influence of diethylstilbestrol on fat deposition and meat quality in chickens. Poultry Sci. 24:128-134. Lorenz, F. W., 1953. The use of estrogens for fattening poultry. National Academy of SciencesNational Research Council Pub. 266, National Research Council, 2101 Constitution Ave. N. W., Washington, D. C. Lorenz, F. W., 1954. Effects of estrogens on domestic fowl and applications in the poultry industry. Vitamins and Hormones, X I I : 235-275. Moreng, R. E., and R. L. Bryant, 1956a. Body weight gains and dressing loss as affected by breed in diethylstilbestrol treated males. Poultry
CONTROL OF INFECTIOUS SYNOVITIS TABLE 1.—Experiment plan
Age at start of treatment
Age when treatment was discontinued
Observation after treatment was discontinued
(Days)
(Days)
(Days)
(Days)
19 before 2 before 0 2 after 4 after 8 after 12 after
1 17 19 21 23 27 31
45» 45» 45» 47*
12 12 12 10 8 0 0
Time chlortetracycline treatment relative to inoculation
49 57t. 57f
Chlortetracycline levels
(gms./ton) 100 200 300 X X X X X X
-
X X X X X X X
X X X X X X X
Control treatments (Basal ration only) 1. Non-inoculated 2. Infected 3, Non-infected (con trol egg yolk injected irl footpad) * The period of medication was 26 days in all treatments except in those where the chlortetracycline was given eight and twelve days after the birds were inoculated. t Medication continued until the experiment was terminated.
broth. No growth was obtained when this inoculum was placed on nutrient agar.
The three control treatments maintained were as follows: (1) non-inoculated, This experiment was conducted with (2) infected and (3) non-infected but inunsexed New Hampshire chicks. At one jected with 0.25 ml. of yolk material taken day old they were wing banded and 12 from normal nine-day old embryos and chicks were placed in each of 23 electric- diluted 50 percent with nutrient broth. ally-heated chick batteries having wire Chlortetracycline was fed at levels of floors. These batteries were in an air- 100, 200, and 300 grams per ton of feed conditioned room where uniform tem- according to the plan presented in Table perature and humidity could be main- 1. The time chlortetracycline treatment tained at desired levels. The ANRC stan- began relative to the inoculation with the dard chick and broiler diet suggested by infective agent, the age of the birds at the Briggs et al. (1954) was used as the basal start ofj the chlortetracycline treatment, ration. This ration contained four grams the age of the birds at the time when the of procaine penicillin and 90 grams of antibiotic was discontinued and the arsanilic acid per ton of ration. period of observation subsequent to treatAt 19 days of age the chicks in 21 of ment are given in Table 1. All chicks these batteries were experimentally in- were necropsied. fected by injecting into the synovial RESULTS AND DISCUSSION membranes of the left footpad 0.25 ml. of a virulent culture of the infectious synoInfluence of chlortetracycline on signs and vitis agent. The inoculum was yolk mate- lesions. Greater protection with chlorrial from the third embryo passage of tracycline medication was obtained (Table synovitis agent 29M (Olson et al., 1956) 2) in birds inoculated with the infectious diluted 50 percent with sterile nutrient synovitis agent when medication was EXPERIMENTAL
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Victoria, McPherson Library Serials on April 8, 2015
extent than chlortetracycline. Studies are in progress to learn more regarding this difference. This difference in efficacy between these antibiotics may be explained by strain difference of the agent (Olson et ah, 1956), age of bird, time of medication and pathogenicity of the culture. In commercial flocks it is very difficult to ascertain the onset of the disease and usually advanced stages are present in many birds by the time a positive diagnosis is made. The economic aspects of an investigation to obtain information on both prophylatic and delayed therapeutic medication are desirable. Therefore, an experiment was designed to test the efficacy of three levels of chlortetracycline on the control of infectious synovitis when this antibiotic is given before, at the time of and after inoculation.
1017
0
1
1
0
1
1
1
6
6
3 4 6 6 7 7 7 7
3 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 2 2 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
5 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
4 5 6 6 5 5 5 6
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0
0
1
3
1
6
6
6
7
0
4
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
2
0
0
1
8
10 10 10 10 9 7 7 7
10
10
7
8 8 8 8 7 7 5 5
9
8
5
4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
4
5
6 11 7 4 4 4 5 8 12 12 11 10 8 8
300
5 1 0 0 0 0 0
8 11 9 9 9 9 10
6 4 0 0 0 0 0
7 2 1 1 1 1 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 1 1 2 2
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 0 0 0
100 200
100 200 300
Grams/t on
8
300
1 0 0 0 0 0 1
* Line denotes the day on which medication was withdrawn. t One bird died on 26th day and three birds died on 30th day.
2
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2
33 36 40 43 47 50 54 57
1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0
1
30
Lesions at necropsy
0
0
0
0
0
1
28
0
0
0
0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 1 1 1 *1
0 0 1 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 1 1 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
100 200
100 200 300
100 200 300
300
Grams/t on
Grams/t on
Grams/ton
Grams/ton
Grams/t on 100 200
4
2
2
19
Days after inoculation
Day o: inoculation 0
Days before inoculation
4 8 12 IS 19 22 26
Days after
Start of chlortetracyclme treatments and the level of treatment
TABLE 2.—Importance of early medication in the control of infectious synovitis Number of Birds Showing Signs and Lesions
//ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Victoria, McPherson Library Serials on April 8, 2015 1
7 3 2 2 2 2 2 1
8
8
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200
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8
10
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300
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12
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11
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CONTROL OF INFECTIOUS SYNOVITIS
each of the three antibiotic levels. Nineteen of the 36 birds irrespective of the chlortetracycline level developed the infection during the 27-day observation period when no chlortetracycline was given. Of these 19 birds, seven had no signs prior to or during the period of medication, but developed signs of synovitis after the medication was discontinued. Eleven birds had signs of the infection before medication. These signs disappeared during the 26-day medication period and then reappeared after the conclusion of the medication. One bird at the 100 gram level showed signs throughout the experiment. Six other birds showed signs before the medication period, but these signs disappeared during chlortetracycline medication and never reappeared. When eight and twelve days lapsed before medication with chlortetracycline was initiated, the signs of synovitis were well advanced although no evidence of spread to other joints was noted. Treatment with chlortetracycline at all three levels brought about a marked increase in feed consumption within 72 hours. This was closely followed by an increased rate of gain in both groups of birds. As the treatment continued there occurred a gradual decrease in the severity of the swellings and in some birds the signs disappeared. Recovery was not complete in all birds and therefore, the antibiotic was continued throughout the experimental period. As shown in Figures 1 to 4 the feed efficiency of these groups after four days of medication was essentially the same as the non-inoculated control birds and remained that way for the duration of the experiment. The rate of recovery was greatest in those birds receiving the highest level of chlortetracycline. The non-inoculated control chicks showed no evidence of infection until 57 days after the other chicks had been in-
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given before or on the day of inoculation than if given later. In those groups given early medication an occasional bird showed slight signs of the infection which usually disappeared during the medication period. After 26 days of chlortetracycline intake two of 108 birds still had a slight swelling at the site of inoculation. In the following 31-day period when no medication was given, an additional five birds developed swollen footpads as evidence of the infection. The level of chlortetracycline medication (100, 200, or 300 grams per ton) did not seem to influence the results. When a period of two days lapsed between the time of inoculation and the chlortetracycline medication, signs of infectious synovitis appeared in two birds at the 100 gram level. This occurred while these birds were receiving the antibiotic. At the 200 and 300 gram level of chlortetracycline treatment no signs of infection appeared during the medication period. However, on the 30th day which was two days after the chlortetracycline was discontinued, signs appeared in several birds. Eventually fifty percent of the birds irrespective of chlortetracycline level developed signs of infectious synovitis. When a period of four days was permitted between the time of inoculation and the chlortetracycline treatment, 59 of 108 birds showed signs of infection (25 with slight swellings, 23 with swellings and 11 with marked swellings). Chlortetracycline given to 36 of these birds, 18 of which showed some degree of swelling, on the fourth day following inoculation brought a prompt reduction in the degree of swelling. By the end of the 26-day medication period only one of the 18 birds showed any degree of swelling. Three days after chlortetracycline was discontinued, signs of infection appeared in birds at
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J. K. BLETNER, D. C. SHELTON, N. 0 . OLSON AND C. E. WEAKLEY, JR.
oculated. At this time one bird appeared to have a questionable swelling, but careful examination at necropsy revealed no definite indication or proof of infection. Both Olson et al. (1956) and Wills and Delaplane (1955) have obtained evidence that the disease can be transmitted to uninoculated controls. I t appeared that intimate contact was necessary and the incubation period was 24 to 80 days. Another group of non-infected control chicks were injected with yolk material from normal embryos. No visible swellings occurred by the 44th day. At that time they were necropsied and no evidence of infection was observed. There were no adverse effects caused by introduction of the yolk material into the footpad. By the eighth day after inoculation all of the birds in the inoculated control groups were visibly infected. By the 19th day five birds were noted to have involvement in appendages other than at the site of inoculation. Later a similar spread of the infection was observed in two more birds. One chick died on the 26th day and three others died on the 30th day. Marked swellings developed in, the remaining chicks but the infection was localized in the inoculated leg. In these birds which did not develop a generalized infection,
TIME MEDICATION STARTED
8 12 15 19 22 26 DAYS AFTER INOCULATION FIG. 2. The effect on feed conversion of 100 grams of chlortetracycline during the control and treatment of infectious synovitis.
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12 15 19 22 26 8 DAYS AFTER INOCULATION FIG. 1. Feed conversion of normal birds and birds with infectious synovitis.
there was a gradual recession of the swellings as the experiment continued beyond 30 days. By the end of the experiment very noticeable improvement had occurred. Growth rate, feed consumption and feed efficiency during the latter part of the experiment indicate that very slow recovery was occurring. Except in the infected control group no mortality occurred during this experiment. In those groups receiving chlortetracycline the infection did not spread beyond the inoculated leg. In general, the number of birds with synovitis and the extent of the lesions decreased as the level of antibiotic was increased. Necropsy observations were in very good agreement with the signs of infection observed upon examination of the live bird. There were minor differences which appeared in the birds with slight swelling. Effect on feed efficiency. Because the effect of time and level of medication influenced both feed consumption and growth rate, results are expressed as feed efficiency. Therefore, Figures 1 to 4 show how feed efficiency was influenced for the 26-day period following inoculation by the level of antibiotic fed and the time
CONTROL OF INFECTIOUS SYNOVITIS
8 12 /5, 19 22 26 DAYS AFTER. INOCULATION FIG. 3. The effect on feed conversion of 200 grams of chlortetracycline during the control and treatment of infectious synovitis.
8 12 15 19 22 29 DAYS AFTER. INOCULATION FIG. 4. The effect on feed conversion of 300 grams of chlortetracycline during the control and treatment of infectious synovitis.
was very poor in the infected control group. This was expected since these birds gained approximately 20 percent as rapidly as the noninoculated control group and the feed consumption never dropped below 50 percent of what the control group consumed. The severely infected birds gained slowly and usually lost weight shortly before death. The method of transmission of infectious synovitis under field conditions is unknown. At present, it is impossible to tell when a flock of birds may be exposed. Even the early signs of the disease are confused with coccidiosis or some other disease. By the time a positive diagnosis can be made some birds are usually in the advanced stages. The results reported in this study show that the sooner chlortetracycline medication is begun the greater is efficacy. If severely infected birds are culled from the flock and medication is started, further spread of the disease should be minimized. SUMMARY
The efficacy of chlortetracycline for the control of infectious synovitis depended
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when medication was started. Since the results obtained when medication was started at 19 days before inoculation, two days before inoculation, the day of inoculation, two days after inoculation and four days after inoculation on feed efficiency were essentially identical, only the results obtained at 19 days before inoculation and four days after inoculation are^shown. More severe signs of infection occurred in those birds where medication was delayed eight and twelve days after inoculation and this is shown in terms of feed efficiency, Figures 2 to 4. There was no important difference in feed efficiency between the non-inoculated controls (Figure 1) and the groups fed chlortetracycline (Figures 2 to 4) providing medication was initiated by the fourth day after inoculation and given continuously therefore. If medication was delayed eight or twelve days after inoculation, there was a marked increase in the feed conversion ratio. A rapid increase in feed consumption and growth occurred when chlortetracycline was added to the feed. Within three to four days the feed efficiency of these groups had returned to that for the non-inoculated control birds. The feed conversion ratio (Figure 1)
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J. K. BLETNER, D. C. SHELTON, N. 0. OLSON AND C. E. WEAKLEY, J R .
Feed efficiency was adversely affected beginning with the fourth day after inoculation in untreated groups. Upon chlortetracycline therapy, feed efficiency rapidly improved and after three to four days came equivalent to that of the noninoculated controls. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors are indebted to the following organizations for material gratuitously supplied during the course of this investigation. Lederle Laboratories Division, American Cyanamid Company, Pearl River, New York for Aureomycin T.F.-15, a source of chlortetracycline; Gorton-Pew
Fisheries Company, Gloucester, Massachusetts for condensed fish solubles; Harper Feed Mills, Inc. Washington, Pennsylvania for dried whey products; Limestone Corporation of America, Newton, New Jersey for Dela-Mix, a source of trace minerals; Nopco Chemical Company, Harrison, New Jersey for vitamin A (Nopcay 10) and vitamin D 3 (Super Nopdex 15); Shea Chemical Corporation, Baltimore, Maryland for dicalcium phosphate; Merck and Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey for B-complex vitamins, menadione, and procaine penicillin; Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, Illinois for arsanilic acid. REFERENCES Briggs, G. M., G. F. Combs, L. Friedman, J. C. Fritz, R. J. Lillie, F. W. Quackenbush and H. W. Titus, 1954. Standard chick and broiler diet. Animal Nutrition Research Council News Letter, Vol. 1: No. 2. Olson, N . O., D. C. Shelton, J. K. Bletner, D. A. Munro and G. C. Anderson, 1956. Studies of infectious synovitis in chickens. Am. J. Vet. Res. 17: 747-754. Olson, N. O., D. C. Shelton, J. K. Bletner and C. E. Weakley, Jr., 1957. Infectious synovitis control. 2. A comparison of levels of antibiotics. Am.J. Vet. Res. 18:200-203. Petersen, E. H., R. Chalquest and H. G. Luther, 1955-56. Oxytetracycline in the prophylaxis of synovitis in experimentally infected chicks. Antibiotics Annual, 1955-56: 313-318. Medical Encyclopedia, Inc., New York, N. Y. Shelton, D. C , J. K. Bletner, N. O. Olson, G. C. Anderson and C. E. Weakley, Jr., 1957. Control of infectious synovitis. 1. Continuous feeding of antibiotics and the influence of diethylstilbestrol and coccidiostats. Poultry Sci. 36:113-121. Wills, F. K., and J. P : Delaplane, 1955. Transmission and therapy studies on an agent which produces arthritis in chickens. Proceedings Book, Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 92nd Ann. Meeting: 350357.
AUGUST 5-8—POULTRY SCIENCE ASSOCIATION, ANNUAL MEETING, CORNELL UNIVERSITY, ITHACA, N.Y.
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on the time of medication in relation to exposure and the level of the drug used. All levels (100, 200 and 300 grams per ton of feed) of chlortetracycline controlled the infection when given 19 and 2 days before and the day of inoculation. Withdrawal of the medication 26 days later resulted in the appearance of signs of infection in approximately 1 of 12 birds. When medication was delayed after inoculation by 2 and 4 days signs of synovitis were satisfactorily controlled at all levels, however, withdrawal of the drug after 26 days of medication resulted in reappearance of signs of synovitis in approximately 50 percent of the birds. This occurred with all levels of medication. When medication was delayed 8 and 12 days after inoculation a slow but marked recession of signs occurred during the 49 and 45-day treatment period respectively. The rate of recovery was greatest in those birds receiving the highest level of chlortetracycline.