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Sodium Sulfamerazine in the Treatment of Cecal Coccidiosis*
Research Notes SODIUM SULFAMERAZINE I N THE TREATMENT OF CECAL COCCIDIOSIS EXPERIMENTAL
Six-week-old white Leghorn chicks were supplied by the Department of Poultry Husbandry for. these experiments. These birds were maintained in batteries and experimentally infected by placing the sporulated oocysts of Eimeria tenetta in the feed. The birds were weighed at weekly intervals. The soluble sodium salt of sulfamerazine* was administered in the water at the rate of 5 grams per liter. Sulfamerazine blood levels were determined by the method of Bratton and Marshall (1939). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Swales (1944) has shown that during an infection with E. tenetta there is a great drop in feed consumption, but not as marked a decrease in water consumption. Since this observation we have noted in * Sodium sulfamerazine was kindly supplied by Sharp and Dohme, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa.
TABLE 1
Sulfamerazine treatment
Number birds
Average weight gain in grams 14 days after infection
Average blood level 5 days after infection Birds which later died
Birds which recovered
Mortality (percent)
1. Uninfected birds No treatment 0.5 percent in water for 3 days
30 10
224 230
—
6.4i '
0 0
2. Infected birds No treatment Started at time of infection; duration 7 days Started 4 days after infection; duration 3 days 1 2
24 33 22
24 hours after treatment started. S days after treatment started. 184
13 180 156
3.4 1
16.2 2 7.11
75 0 13
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at New York University on May 26, 2015
The use of several sulfonamides have been shown in recent years to be of some value as therapeutic agents in E. tenetta infections. Horton-Smith and Taylor (1942) demonstrated that, sulfamethazine and sulfadiazine were effective in the treatment of cecal coccidiosis up to 96 hours after infection. Swales (1944) showed that a closely related compound> sulfamerazine, acted in a similar manner, and in studying these compounds he concluded that both sulfamerazine and sulfamethazine, appeared superior to sulfadiazine. Ripsom and Herrick (1945) made the important observation that sulfadiazine will prevent the formation of oocysts if administered five and six days after infection. It is of interest as Swales has noted, that these compounds containing a pyrimidine nucleus, are the only ones of many sulfonamides investigated which have therapeutic as well as prophylactic value.
185
RESEARCH NOTES
Sulfamerazine had no apparent un-
toward results as manifested by weight gains. There was a slight distension of the uriniferous tubules with a whitish substance, possibly urates. No other gross pathological changes were noted. P H I L I P A. H A W K I N S ROBERT RAUSCH
Dept. of Bacteriology and Public Health Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station East Lansing, Michigan Received for publication January 7,1946. REFERENCES
Bratton, A. C, and E. K. Marshall, Jr., 1939. A new coupling component for sulfanilamide determinations. Jour. Biol. Chem. 128: 537. Hawkins, Philip A., and E. E. Kline, 1945. The treatment of cecal coccidiosis with sulfamethazine. Poultry Sci. 24: 277. Horton-Smith, C, and E. L. Taylor, 1942. Sulfamethazine and sulfadiazine treatment in cecal coccidiosis in chickens. Vet. Rec. (London) 54: 516. Ripsom, C. A., and C. A. Herrick, 1945. Effects of various sulfa compounds on the protozoan parasite, Eim.eria tenella. Jour. Parasitol. 31: 98. Swales, W. E., 1944. On the chemotherapy of cecal coccidiosis (Eimeria tenella) of chickens. Canad. Jour. Research, 22(D): 131.
SEX IDENTIFICATION IN BABY CHICKS OF " R E D " VARIETIES Byerly and Quinn (1936) reported that 47.5 percent of the baby chicks in their strain of Rhode Island Reds had a small black spot or dark colored stripes on the head or dorsal surface. Approximately 85 percent of those having the spots of intensified melanic pigment were females. Hays (1940) found only 26.8 percent of the chicks in his strain had these dark markings, and less than 85 percent of these were females. An improved method for sex identification in Rhode Island Red Chicks was given by Hays and Klein (1943). This was developed by Homer Rowell, a Massachusetts Poultryman, and may be briefly summarized as follows:
Male Female Dorsal surface Red and white Uniform red areas, may have white head and red back Web of wings White or with Uniform red white stripes (wing tips may be white) Head Red or white, Uniform red, offree from black ten with black spots spots
The writer has observed Mr. Rowell using the above method with chicks of his own selected strain. As a test of its suitability for sex identification in Rhode Island Red chicks of the strains bred in Oklahoma, a - one hundred-size box of chicks was secured from each of two hatcheries. Sex was correctly identified in only 78.2 and 80.4 percent of the chicks.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at New York University on May 26, 2015
this laboratory (unpublished data) that the feed consumed may drop to one-half or less of normal, while water consumption in some instances may more than double. Therefore, it would seem that medication in the water would be advantageous. Hawkins and Kline (1945) reported variable results when using saturated solution of the relatively insoluble form of sulfamethazine. However, it may. be seen in Table 1 that the soluble sodium l. salt of sulfamerazine in the drinking water is very effective in both the control and the treatment of E. tenella infections. In Table 1 it will be seen that there is a 13 percent mortality in birds treated when the first blood showed in the droppings, i.e., 4 days after infection. However, in those birds dying the sulfamerazine blood levels 24 hours after treatment had not reached the 5.0-6.0 mg. percent level, which we have previously shown to be necessary to prevent loss. All birds consuming enough of the drug to reach this level survived.
Six-week-old white Leghorn chicks were supplied by the Department of Poultry Husbandry for. these experiments. These birds were maintained in batteries and experimentally infected by placing the sporulated oocysts of Eimeria tenetta in the feed. The birds were weighed at weekly intervals. The soluble sodium salt of sulfamerazine* was administered in the water at the rate of 5 grams per liter. Sulfamerazine blood levels were determined by the method of Bratton and Marshall (1939). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Swales (1944) has shown that during an infection with E. tenetta there is a great drop in feed consumption, but not as marked a decrease in water consumption. Since this observation we have noted in * Sodium sulfamerazine was kindly supplied by Sharp and Dohme, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa.
TABLE 1
Sulfamerazine treatment
Number birds
Average weight gain in grams 14 days after infection
Average blood level 5 days after infection Birds which later died
Birds which recovered
Mortality (percent)
1. Uninfected birds No treatment 0.5 percent in water for 3 days
30 10
224 230
—
6.4i '
0 0
2. Infected birds No treatment Started at time of infection; duration 7 days Started 4 days after infection; duration 3 days 1 2
24 33 22
24 hours after treatment started. S days after treatment started. 184
13 180 156
3.4 1
16.2 2 7.11
75 0 13
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at New York University on May 26, 2015
The use of several sulfonamides have been shown in recent years to be of some value as therapeutic agents in E. tenetta infections. Horton-Smith and Taylor (1942) demonstrated that, sulfamethazine and sulfadiazine were effective in the treatment of cecal coccidiosis up to 96 hours after infection. Swales (1944) showed that a closely related compound> sulfamerazine, acted in a similar manner, and in studying these compounds he concluded that both sulfamerazine and sulfamethazine, appeared superior to sulfadiazine. Ripsom and Herrick (1945) made the important observation that sulfadiazine will prevent the formation of oocysts if administered five and six days after infection. It is of interest as Swales has noted, that these compounds containing a pyrimidine nucleus, are the only ones of many sulfonamides investigated which have therapeutic as well as prophylactic value.
185
RESEARCH NOTES
Sulfamerazine had no apparent un-
toward results as manifested by weight gains. There was a slight distension of the uriniferous tubules with a whitish substance, possibly urates. No other gross pathological changes were noted. P H I L I P A. H A W K I N S ROBERT RAUSCH
Dept. of Bacteriology and Public Health Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station East Lansing, Michigan Received for publication January 7,1946. REFERENCES
Bratton, A. C, and E. K. Marshall, Jr., 1939. A new coupling component for sulfanilamide determinations. Jour. Biol. Chem. 128: 537. Hawkins, Philip A., and E. E. Kline, 1945. The treatment of cecal coccidiosis with sulfamethazine. Poultry Sci. 24: 277. Horton-Smith, C, and E. L. Taylor, 1942. Sulfamethazine and sulfadiazine treatment in cecal coccidiosis in chickens. Vet. Rec. (London) 54: 516. Ripsom, C. A., and C. A. Herrick, 1945. Effects of various sulfa compounds on the protozoan parasite, Eim.eria tenella. Jour. Parasitol. 31: 98. Swales, W. E., 1944. On the chemotherapy of cecal coccidiosis (Eimeria tenella) of chickens. Canad. Jour. Research, 22(D): 131.
SEX IDENTIFICATION IN BABY CHICKS OF " R E D " VARIETIES Byerly and Quinn (1936) reported that 47.5 percent of the baby chicks in their strain of Rhode Island Reds had a small black spot or dark colored stripes on the head or dorsal surface. Approximately 85 percent of those having the spots of intensified melanic pigment were females. Hays (1940) found only 26.8 percent of the chicks in his strain had these dark markings, and less than 85 percent of these were females. An improved method for sex identification in Rhode Island Red Chicks was given by Hays and Klein (1943). This was developed by Homer Rowell, a Massachusetts Poultryman, and may be briefly summarized as follows:
Male Female Dorsal surface Red and white Uniform red areas, may have white head and red back Web of wings White or with Uniform red white stripes (wing tips may be white) Head Red or white, Uniform red, offree from black ten with black spots spots
The writer has observed Mr. Rowell using the above method with chicks of his own selected strain. As a test of its suitability for sex identification in Rhode Island Red chicks of the strains bred in Oklahoma, a - one hundred-size box of chicks was secured from each of two hatcheries. Sex was correctly identified in only 78.2 and 80.4 percent of the chicks.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at New York University on May 26, 2015
this laboratory (unpublished data) that the feed consumed may drop to one-half or less of normal, while water consumption in some instances may more than double. Therefore, it would seem that medication in the water would be advantageous. Hawkins and Kline (1945) reported variable results when using saturated solution of the relatively insoluble form of sulfamethazine. However, it may. be seen in Table 1 that the soluble sodium l. salt of sulfamerazine in the drinking water is very effective in both the control and the treatment of E. tenella infections. In Table 1 it will be seen that there is a 13 percent mortality in birds treated when the first blood showed in the droppings, i.e., 4 days after infection. However, in those birds dying the sulfamerazine blood levels 24 hours after treatment had not reached the 5.0-6.0 mg. percent level, which we have previously shown to be necessary to prevent loss. All birds consuming enough of the drug to reach this level survived.