Effect of 3',5'-cyclic diguanylic acid in a broiler Clostridium perfringens infection model.

Abstract

In an effort to explore strategies to control Clostridium perfringens, we investigated the synergistic effect of a ubiquitous bacterial second messenger 3',5'-cyclic diguanylic acid (c-di-GMP) with penicillin G in a broiler challenge model. All chicks were inoculated in the crop by gavage on d 14, 15, and 16 with a mixture of 4 C. perfringens strains. Birds were treated with saline (control group) or 20 nmol of c-di-GMP by gavage or intramuscularly (IM) on d 24, all in conjunction with penicillin G in water for 5 d. Weekly samplings of ceca and ileum were performed on d 21 to 35 for C. perfringens and Lactobacillus enumeration. On d 35 of age, the IM treatment significantly (P < 0.05) reduced C. perfringens in the ceca, suggesting possible synergistic activity between penicillin G and c-di-GMP against C. perfringens in broiler ceca. Moreover, analysis of ceca DNA for the presence of a series of C. perfringens virulence genes showed a prevalence of 30% for the Clostridium perfringens alpha-toxin gene (cpa) from d 21 to 35 in the IM-treated group, whereas the occurrence of the cpa gene increased from 10 to 60% in the other 2 groups (control and gavage) from d 21 to 35. Detection of β-lactamase genes (blaCMY-2, blaSHV, and blaTEM) indicative of gram-negative bacteria in the same samples from d 21 to 35 did not show significant treatment effects. Amplified fragment-length polymorphism showed a predominant 92% similarity between the ceca of 21-d-old control birds and the 35-d-old IM-treated c-di-GMP group. This suggests that c-di-GMP IM treatment might be effective at restoring the normal microflora of the host on d 35 after being challenged by C. perfringens. Our results suggest that c-di-GMP can reduce the colonization of C. perfringens in the gut without increasing the selection pressure for some β-lactamase genes or altering the commensal bacterial population.

• Authors: Mussarat Fatima, Heidi Rempel, Xiaomei Tallie Kuang, Kevin J Allen, Kimberly M Cheng, François Malouin, Moussa S Diarra
• Journal: Poultry science (Poult Sci) Vol. 92 Issue 10 Pg. 2644-50 (Oct 2013) ISSN: 0032-5791 [Print] England
• PMID: 24046411 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Adjuvants, Immunologic
• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Bacterial Toxins
• bis(3',5')-cyclic diguanylic acid
• Cyclic GMP
• Penicillin G

Topics

• Adjuvants, Immunologic (administration & dosage, pharmacology)
• Animal Feed (analysis)
• Animals
• Anti-Bacterial Agents (administration & dosage, pharmacology)
• Bacterial Toxins (genetics, metabolism)
• Cecum (microbiology)
• Chickens
• Clostridium Infections (drug therapy, immunology, veterinary)
• Clostridium perfringens (drug effects, pathogenicity)
• Colony Count, Microbial (veterinary)
• Cyclic GMP (administration & dosage, analogs & derivatives, pharmacology)
• Enteral Nutrition (veterinary)
• Enteritis (drug therapy, immunology, veterinary)
• Injections, Intramuscular (veterinary)
• Male
• Penicillin G (administration & dosage, pharmacology)
• Polymerase Chain Reaction (veterinary)
• Poultry Diseases (drug therapy, immunology)