The evaluation of intranasal <i>Lactobacillus fermentum</i> and <i>Mannheimia haemolytica</i> bacterine in the control of <i>Mannheimia haemolytica</i> infection in grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus temminck, 1827)

Abstract

This study evaluates the effect of recombinant Mannheimia hemolytica bacterine and Lactobacillus fermentum intranasal administration on experimental pneumonic Mannheimiosis in grasscutters (Thryonomys swinderianus Temminck, 1827). This investigation involved apparently healthy adult grasscutters that were divided into groups A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H of three (3) grasscutters each with group H serving as the control. Group A (vaccinated twice with bacterin and infected), group B (vaccinated once with bacterin and infected), group C, E (vaccinated, inoculated with Lactobacillus fermentum and infected), group D (inoculated with Lactobacillus fermentum alone), group F (infected), group G (grasscutters infected and later inoculated with Lactobacillus fermentum) and lastly group H (control). The mortality pattern, pathology of the respiratory tract and nasal bacterial load were assessed using standard methods. The result showed that intranasal application of Lactobacillus fermentum and or recombinant Mannheimia haemolytica bacterine reduces the nasal bacterial load, pathology and mortality pattern associated with experimental Mannheimia haemolytica infection in the grasscutter hence they could be useful in the control of respiratory disorders in grasscutters.

Keywords: grasscutter, bacterin, experimental, respiratory, infection