RESUMO
The present study was undertaken to find out the safety levels of fenbendazole in common peafowl. This bird, raised on aviaries and zoos, can be severely parasitized with Ascaridia galli [enteric worms] and Syngamus trachea [gapeworm] along with other parasitic worms. Fenbendazole is a highly effective benzimidazole-class anthelmintic in animals. The objective of this work was to provide target animal safety data in young peafowl and to demonstrate reproductive safety in adult birds. During the experimental study, diets containing fenbendazole at 0, 100, 200 and 300 ppm were fed for 21 days [three times the normal treatment duration]. Data for feed consumption, feed conversion rate, and body weights were recorded for each bird in each group. Drug concentrations in different tissues of birds were determined to correlate concentrations with clinical observations, clinical pathology, and histologic findings. There were no morbidities or mortalities after study day 21. Additionally, there were no statistically significant treatment-related differences among above mentioned parameters. Analysis of fenbendazole concentrations in kidney, liver, leg/thigh, and breast muscle and skin with associated fat revealed that, even at the highest dose level used and with no feed withdrawal, fenbendazole concentrations were relatively low in these tissues. These findings indicate that fenbendazole has a relatively wide margin of safety in young peafowl and that the proposed dose of 100 ppm in the feed for 7 consecutive days is well within the margin of safety. In the reproductive safety study, five breeder peafowl farms fed fendbendazole at 100ppm for 7 days and collected data on hatching percentage of peahen eggs before and after treatment. Reproductive performance in peahen was not adversely affected
RESUMO
Antibiotic resistance in avian pathogenic Escherichia coli [APEC] is a common problem in the Indonesian poultry industry. Zoo birds have been postulated as sentinels, reservoirs, and potential spreaders of antibiotic resistance, although much is still unknown about the strains of zoo birds. Disinfection can reduce the infection burden. However, little is known about the presence of resistance against these products. Sixty one APEC strains were isolated from Indonesian zoo birds. The resistance to different classes of antibiotics as well as the minimum inhibitory concentrations [MIC] and minimum bactericidal concentrations [MBC] of five disinfectants most often used in the poultry industry was determined. Resistance to tetracycline [42.6%], sulfonamides [24.5%], ampicillin [22.9%], gentamicin [19.6], nalidixic acid [18.03%] and streptomycin [16.3%] was high, but resistance to other tested antibiotics was low and none of the isolates were resistant to extended spectrum beta-lactamase [ESBL] producers. Sixteen strains [26.2%] were found positive for multi drug resistance. The MIC of the disinfectants for the APEC strains showed normal distribution, indicating that there was no acquired resistance. MBCs were similar to MICs using the broth dilution method, showing the bactericidal effect of the disinfectants. Phenotypic resistance to commonly used disinfectants could not be found, indicating that the current use of disinfectants in the zoo and aviaries did not select for resistance. Significantly high resistance rates against commonly used antibiotics in Indonesian zoos is worrisome and indicates that widespread use of antibiotics could have negative implications for animal health and the environment. Proper use of antibiotics and surveillance programs to monitor antimicrobial resistance in pathogenic bacteria are warranted