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Non-antibiotic strategies for the control of necrotic enteritis in poultry

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 November 2014

K. MAHMOOD ,
S.U. RAHMAN ,
I. HUSSAIN ,
R.Z. ABBAS ,
T. KHALIQ ,
J. ARIF  and
F. MAHMOOD
K. MAHMOOD*
Affiliation:
Institute of Microbiology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
S.U. RAHMAN
Affiliation:
Institute of Microbiology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
I. HUSSAIN
Affiliation:
Institute of Microbiology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
R.Z. ABBAS
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
T. KHALIQ
Affiliation:
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
J. ARIF
Affiliation:
Institute of Microbiology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
F. MAHMOOD
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary science, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
*
Corresponding author: kmvoh@yahoo.com
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Abstract

Necrotic enteritis (NE) caused by Clostridium spp. is an economically significant bacterial disease of poultry worldwide. Traditionally the disease has been prevented through feed supplementation with antibiotics sub-therapeutically as antimicrobial growth promoters (AGPs). However this practice has led to the emergence of resistant pathogenic microbes and drug residues, potentially threatening animal and public health. Therefore the marketing and incorporation of AGPs into poultry feed has been banned in Europe which has exacerbated the incidence of NE, bringing about huge economic losses to poultry farmers. Poultry researchers, exporters and consumers have emphasised AGP-free poultry rearing and have been searching for non-antibiotic and cost effective alternatives to control NE. Strategies suggested include vaccination, coccidiosis control, probiotics, competitive exclusion products, prebiotics, egg yolk immunoglobulins, bacteriophages (or phage gene products), organic acids, feed enzymes, plants and plants extracts/essential oils and nutritional changes.

There are many predisposing as well as virulence factors for NE induction and pathogenesis and more are expected to be discovered in the future. The ambiguous pathogenesis trend of the disease is still hindering the development of a potent active vaccine against NE. The choice of a single and fully effective approach is difficult. However, probiotics and specific egg yolk immunoglobulins (IgYs) alone or in combination could serve as promising strategies for controlling NE in broilers in the absence of AGPs.

Keywords

Necrotic enteritisClostridium perfringensprobioticsegg yolk immunoglobulinsbacteriophages

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Type
Review Article
Information
World's Poultry Science Journal , Volume 70 , Issue 4 , December 2014 , pp. 865 - 879
Copyright
Copyright © World's Poultry Science Association 2014 

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