Pilot study: evaluation of homeopathic treatment of Escherichia coli infected swine with identification of virulence factors involved

Coelho, Cideli de Paula; Vuaden, Erlete Rosalina; Soto, Francisco Rafael Martins; Melville, Priscilla Anne; Oliveira, Flavia Carolina Souza de; Bonamin, Leoni Villano; Moreno, Andrea Micke; Tahan, Patricia; Benites, Nilson Roberti

Aim:

To evaluate the efficacy of prophylactic homeopathic treatment of swine diarrhea to achievea satisfactory balance between weight gain and cost.

Methods:

Escherichia coli (E. coli) wasisolated from 4 piglets with diarrhea, their clinical signs were used to select the adequate homeopathic medicine China officinalis (Chin). Newborn piglets were divided in 4 groups (n=11or 12) control group treated with the routinely used antimicrobial agent (ceftiofur 4 mg 1ml/piglet for 3 days); one group with homeopathic medicine Chin 30 cH; one group treated with biotherapy prepared from locally isolated E. coli; and one group was treated with association ofChin and biotherapy. All isolated samples of E. coli were subjected to polymerase chain reaction(PCR) to identify virulence factors in each group.

Results:

There was no difference in the numberof animals with diarrhea between groups treated with homeopathic medicine and control; weightgain was greater in groups treated with homeopathic medicine alone and associated withbiotherapy compared to control (p<0.05). Cost of homeopathic treatment was lower compared toceftiofur. Only one E. coli sample used to prepare biotherapy medicine tested positive forvirulence factors (F41); 3 samples from the Chin treated group tested positive for Stbenterotoxins; 1 sample from the homeopathic medicine plus biotherapy treated group and 1 sample from the biotherapy treated group tested positive for F41; 2 samples from the controlgroup tested positive for F41.

Conclusion:

Strain variability was too large in PCR to allow forany conclusion; despite feces tested positive for E. coli, weight gain of piglets was greater ingroups with homeopathic treatment that thus can be rated more effective in newborn piglets diarrhea.(AU)

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Homeopatia

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