Pantnagar Journal of Research

Abstract

The emergence of antibiotic resistance in poultry is common due to the continuous use of antibiotics for controlling major bacterial diseases like Escherichia coli infection. So, this study was planned to evaluate the use of plant extract Aloe vera as an alternative to fight against E. coli infection. The effect of A. vera leaf extract supplementation was assessed based on the severity of clinical signs and pathological lesions in E. coli-infected broiler chicks. Broiler chicks were supplemented with aqueous Aloe vera Leaf (AVL) extracts @ 20 ml per liter of water from day one of age. On the 8^th day of age, group A2 and B2 birds were given E. coli O78 @ 10⁷ CFU/0.5 ml intraperitoneally. The birds were sacrificed after 28 days of E. coli inoculation and examined for gross and histopathological lesions. Gross lesions observed were fibrinous pericarditis and perihepatitis, airsacculitis, peritonitis, enteritis, congestion in different visceral organs such as lung, spleen, liver, kidneys and intestines, and atrophy of bursa of Fabricius. Histopathological changes observed were fibrinous pericarditis and myocarditis, fibrinous perihepatitis; congestion, hemorrhages and mild oedema and infiltration of lymphocytes and macrophages in the alveoli and bronchiole. There was depletion of lymphocytes in the bursa of Fabricius. The protection on gross and histopathological lesions of E. coli infection due to A. vera leaf extract was 14.19% and 17.5%, respectively.