Antimicrobial resistance in generic fecal Escherichia coli from 29 beef farms in Ontario

The occurrence of antimicrobial resistance in generic Escherichia coli can serve as an indicator of the pool of resistance genes potentially available for transfer to pathogenic organisms. This study was conducted on 29 volunteer beef farms in Ontario to describe the prevalence and patterns of antimicrobial resistance in E. coli, and to describe changes in the prevalence of resistance during the feedlot stage of production. From the pooled fecal samples on 28 of the 29 farms, 31% of isolates from feedlots (n = 993) and 12% of isolates from cow-calf farms (n = 807) were resistant to one or more of 16 antimicrobials tested. No isolates were resistant to ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, or nalidixic acid, and < 1% of the pooled isolates were resistant to ceftiofur. Two percent of both feedlot and cow-calf isolates were resistant to > or = 5 antimicrobials. Cow-calf farms were at significantly lower risk than feedlots for having E. coli isolates that were resistant to streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole, and tetracycline. On average, the prevalence of sulfamethoxazole resistant E. coli isolates was significantly higher in calves than in cows. No resistance was observed to ceftriaxone or ciprofloxacin among isolates (n = 1265) obtained from individually sampled feedlot animals on 2 farms. Less than 1% of these isolates were resistant to gentamicin, nalidixic acid, and ceftiofur. From the individually sampled feedlot animals, resistance to streptomycin (on 1 farm), sulfamethoxazole, and tetracycline increased significantly from arrival to mid-point during the feeding period, and these levels persisted until market-readiness.     

Transmissible antibiotic resistance in Salmonella isolated from random-source cats purchased for use in research.

Salmonella isolates from random-source cats designated for use in research were examined for antibiotic susceptibilities and the presence of plasmids containing R factors. The serotypes studied were Salmonella derby, S typhimurium, S anatum, S enteritidis, and S bredeney. Eighty percent of the isolates were resistant to one or more antibiotics. The greatest frequency of resistance was to streptomycin. The majority of the salmonella isolates transferred all or a part of their antibiotic resistance to an Escherichia coli K-12 recipient. Thermosensitive R factors were found in two S typhimurium isolates.     

Expression of Escherichia coli antigens in Salmonella typhimurium as a vaccine to prevent airsacculitis in chickens

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli strains are associated with a variety of extraintestinal poultry diseases, including airsacculitis, colisepticemia, and cellulitis. A number of E. coli serotypes are associated with these diseases, although the most prevalent serotype is O78. Fimbrial proteins expressed by these strains appear to be important virulence factors, including type 1 fimbriae, P fimbriae, and curli. We have been working to develop an effective vaccine to protect chickens against these diseases. We have previously shown that an attenuated Salmonella typhimurium strain expressing O78 lipopolysaccharide provides protection against challenge with an O78 avian pathogenic E. coli strain. In this work, we have constructed an attenuated S. typhimurium that expresses both the O78 lipopolysaccharide and E. coli-derived type 1 fimbriae. In these studies, chickens were vaccinated at day of hatch and again at 2 wk of age. Birds were challenged at 4 wk of age. We found that the vaccine candidate provided significant protection against airsacculitis as compared to untreated controls or birds vaccinated with an attenuated S. typhimurium that did not express any E. coli antigens. In a separate experiment, challenged vaccinates showed significant weight gain compared to challenged nonvaccinates. We were not able to demonstrate protection against E. coli O1 or O2 serotype challenge, nor against challenge with wild-type S. typhimurium.     

Reciprocal competitive exclusion of salmonella and Escherichia coli by native intestinal microflora of the chicken and turkey

Both the native intestinal microflora of chickens that protected chicks against salmonellae and Escherichia coli and native turkey intestinal microflora were evaluated for their reciprocal protective capacity in both species against Salmonella typhimurium and a pathogenic strain of E. coli. Nalidixic-acid-resistant forms of the S. typhimurium and E. coli strains were used in seeder-bird and individual-bird challenge tests. Reciprocal protection was provided by native chicken and turkey intestinal microflora in chicks and poults against S. typhimurium and the pathogenic strain of E. coli. The chicken and turkey microflora appeared to be equally effective in protecting the two species from S. typhimurium, but protection against E. coli was somewhat greater in the chicken than in the turkey.     

Assessing the effect of a single dose florfenicol treatment in feedlot cattle on the antimicrobial resistance patterns in faecal Escherichia coli

The objective of this clinical trial was to examine the effect of a single dose of florfenicol on antimicrobial resistance patterns in faecal E. coli of feedlot steers. Steers (n = 370), were purchased from two sources and housed in outdoor concrete floored pens. Two cattle from each pen (n = 42 pens, 84 cattle) were randomly selected for faecal sampling at study day 1, 14, 28, and 42. One sampled animal from each of 21 pens was randomly selected to receive a single 39.6 mg/kg dose of florfenicol subcutaneously at study day 11. Ten lactose positive colonies were isolated from faecal swabs and tested for antimicrobial resistance to 11 antimicrobials using the disk diffusion method. Zones of inhibition were grouped using cluster analysis and clusters were ordered by increasing multiple resistance. A cumulative logistic regression model using generalized estimating equations was used to assess factors associated with increasing levels of multiple resistance. Immediately post-treatment, all isolates obtained from treated cattle belonged to multiple resistant clusters containing chloramphenicol resistance. Though less pronounced in later sampling, resistance to chloramphenicol and other antimicrobials persisted. Antimicrobial treatment, sampling time and animal source, as well as interactions between these variables, were important predictors of the odds of E. coli belonging to a more resistant cluster. A very clear but transitory shift to increasingly multiple resistant faecal E. coli in response to florfenicol treatment was observed. There was no indication of horizontal transfer of resistant E. coli between steers. Level of resistance was influenced by complex interaction of animal source and previous management.     

Construction and evaluation of a delta cya delta crp Salmonella typhimurium strain expressing avian pathogenic Escherichia coli O78 LPS as a vaccine to prevent airsacculitis in chickens.

Avian pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli cause a number of extraintestinal diseases in poultry, including airsacculitis and colisepticemia. Expression of O78 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is frequently associated with pathogenic isolates. Salmonella, a common poultry contaminant, is a major public health concern. The purpose of this work was to develop an E. coli vaccine for poultry with the use of an attenuated Salmonella typhimurium carrier that would benefit both the bird and the consumer. Orally administered attenuated S. typhimurium delta cya delta crp strains have been shown to provide excellent protection against wild-type Salmonella challenge in chickens. This work describes the construction of a delta cya delta crp derivative of an avian pathogenic S. typhimurium that expresses both the homologous group B determinants (O1,4,5,12) and the heterologous E. coli O78 LPS O antigens. This was accomplished by inserting the E. coli rfb region, which encodes the genes required for O78 expression, into the chromosomal cya gene of S. typhimurium, creating a defined deletion/insertion mutation. A delta crp mutation was introduced in a subsequent step. Expression of both O antigens was stable in vitro and in vivo. Vaccination of white leghorn chicks at day of hatch and 14 days with the recombinant vaccine strain induced serum immune responses against both S. typhimurium and E. coli LPS and protected the birds against subsequent challenge with an avian pathogenic E. coli O78 strain. Introduction of a mutation in rfc, which encodes the O antigen polymerase, reduced the chain length of the S. typhimurium LPS without affecting the expression of O78. The rfc mutation further enhanced the ability of the vaccine strain to protect chickens against E. coli challenge.     

Colicin resistance in relation to pathogenicity factors in strains of Escherichia coli isolated from the intestinal tract of piglets

Three hundred and fifteen E. coli strains isolated from the intestine of piglets were examined for K-antigens 88 and 99, enterotoxin production and colicin resistance. Of these strains 308 belonged to one of 3 following different groups: Group 1: 0149, K88, producing heat-labile (LT) and heat-stable (ST) enterotoxins, group 2: 064, K99, producing ST, and group 3: variable O-antigens, no K-antigens or enterotoxin production.Almost 100 % of the E. coli strains were found to be resistant to colicins E₁, E₃, Ia, H and D+X. Resistance to colicins E₂, B+M, V and K+X were found in 91.7 %, 43.8 %, 49.8 % and 62.2 % respectively.E. coli strains in group 1 were always (resistant to colicin E₂, while about 87 % of the other strains were resistant to this colicin. E. coli strains in group 2 were more often resistant to colicin B+M, V and K+X (65 %, 94 %, 83 %) than strains in group 1 (37 %, 24 %, 64 %) and strains in group 3 (37 %, 52 %, 46 %).E. coli strains in group 2 showed a high degree of multiresistance, 45.1 % of the strains being resistant to all of the 9 colicins. About 10 % of the other strains were resistant to all of the 9 colicins.E. coli strains harbouring the enteropathogenicity factors K99 antigen and ST production, showed a higher degree of colicin resistance than both the E. coli strains with K88 antigen and ST and LT production, and the E. coli strains lacking enteropathogenicity factors.     

Some aspects of the epidemiology and control of Salmonella typhimurium infection in outwintered suckler cows.

Two outbreaks of Salmonella typhimurium infections affected outwintered, spring-calving suckler cows in late pregnancy. The infections spread rapidly both within and between groups of stock on the affected farms, with morbidity in the infected groups varying from 14.5 per cent to over 60 per cent, and mortality in adult cattle varying from 0 to 14.3 per cent. Prophylactic measures included the use of antibiotics and killed vaccines against Escherichia coli, Salmonella dublin, S typhimurium, and Pasteurella multocida. In one outbreak, use was also made of a polyvalent serovaccine and hyperimmune serum against E coli, S typhimurium, and S dublin. In both outbreaks no new cases were reported in the affected groups after the administration of the second dose of vaccine, and there was no resurgence of disease on the affected farms within 18 months of the primary outbreaks.     

Phenotypic and genetic characterization of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and entero-aggregative E. coli (EAEC) from diarrhoeal and non-diarrhoeal children in Libya

A total of 50 Escherichia coli strains isolated in a Libyan hospital (20 from children with diarrhoea and 30 from healthy children) were investigated for their pathotypes and virulence traits. Altogether nine eae-positive (enteropathogenic E. coli, EPEC) and nine aggR-positive (entero-aggregative E. coli, EAEC) strains were identified. Significantly (P=0.001) more EPEC strains were identified from diarrhoeal patients (n=8) than from healthy controls (n=1), while six EAEC strains were identified from diarrhoeal and three from healthy children. Typical (eae(+), EAF(+), bfp(+)) EPEC strains (n=6) belonged to classical EPEC serogroups O55, O114, O127 and showed localized adherence on Hela cells. EAEC strains revealed genetic heterogeneity but uniformly adhered to HeLa cultures in an entero-aggregative adherence pattern. Antibiotic resistance frequently, characterized the strains. Sixty-eight percentage of the strains were resistant against at least one antibiotic and 30% harbored a class 1 integron independently of their clinical background. This is the first report from North Africa demonstrating the significance of EPEC and EAEC.     

Population of Salmonella serovar typhimurium in the cecum of gnotobiotic chickens with Escherichia coli and intestinal bacteria.

To test the interaction between various species of bacteria and Salmonella serovar typhimurium (S. typhimurium), the population of S. typhimurium was measured in the cecum of gnotobiotic chickens in the presence of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and one of the four intestinal bacteria; Lactobacillus acidophilus. Clostridium perfringens, Bifidobacterium thermophilum and Bacteroides vulgatus. Competitive exclusion of S. typhimurium by di-flora chicken was not demonstrated. But the population of S. typhimurium was temporarily suppressed in di-flora chickens with E. coli and L. acidophilus. In penta-flora chickens with E. coli and these four intestinal bacteria, the population of S. typhimurium was suppressed for only 2 days. In normalized chickens, the population of S. typhimurium was markedly suppressed.     

Associations between antimicrobial use and the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in fecal Escherichia coli from feedlot cattle in western Canada

A randomized, controlled, blinded clinical trial was performed at a research feedlot in western Canada. Auction-market-derived steers (n = 288) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: 1) no antimicrobials on arrival; 2) oxytetracycline in the starter ration for 14 d; and 3) long-acting oxytetracycline subcutaneously on day 0. Minimal inhibitory concentrations of 7 antimicrobials were determined for 3 generic fecal E. coli isolates per animal on arrival and throughout the feeding period. There was a low prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in generic E. coli isolates from calves on arrival. There were increased proportions of cattle with resistant E. coli isolates early in the feeding period among calves in groups 2 and 3. Individual animal treatments were not associated with increased proportions of cattle with resistant E. coli isolates preslaughter. There was no difference in the proportion of animals with E. coli isolates resistant to tetracycline between the treatment groups preslaughter. However, there were significantly more animals with tetracycline resistant isolates of E. coli preslaughter than at arrival.     

Genetic resistance to Salmonella typhimurium in two lines of chickens selected as resistant and sensitive on the basis of heterophil/lymphocyte ratio

1. A study was conducted to test for the validity of the heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio as a criterion for selection for resistance to Salmonella typhimurium in chickens. 2. An infective dose of S. typhimurium was given, directly in the crop, to two groups of chicken selected as Resistant (R) and Sensitive (S) on the bases of H/L ratio. The 99% lower confidence limit was used as a borderline; individuals below the limit were considered R and those above S. Many aspects of immune response were compared, namely: H/L ratio, antibody titre, cellular immunity, phagocytic activity, cortisol concentration, bursa and body weight. 3. The R group exceeded the S in all the studied variables of the immune response, indicating the possibility of using the H/L ratio and its confidence limit to select for general resistance. 4. Due to the within-strain variability in resistance, it seems that immunological and genetic studies should take into consideration separation of individuals into R and S before grouping. Failing to do so might lead to erroneous conclusions as a difference may simply be due to the different numbers of R and S included in each group.     

Serobiotypes and virulence genes of Escherichia coli strains isolated from diarrheic and healthy rabbits in Brazil

A total of 178 Escherichia coli isolates from diarrheic and healthy rabbits in the S?o Paulo State (Brazil) were serobiotyped and investigated by PCR for the presence of virulence genes. Among the 90 (50.6%) isolates which possessed the eae gene, 74 were from diarrheic animals and all but one encoded intimin beta. Sixty five (72.2%) of the eae+ isolates had insertion of the locus of enterocyte effacement locus in the pheU locus, 11 (12.2%) in the selC and 14 (15.6%) did not insert in either of these loci. All isolates were negative for genes of the E. coli enterotoxins, Stx1, Stx2, CNF1, CNF2 and EHEC hemolysin. The O132:H2 serotype was dominant, being present in 63 isolates (70%) of the 90 eae+ isolates, and 57 of the 63 isolates of this serotype belonged to biotype 30. PCR detected the gene for AF/R2 fimbriae in 75 (83.3%) of the 90 eae+ isolates. Adherence to HeLa cells was best detected following 6h incubation and a positive fluorescence actin staining (FAS) test was given by 52 isolates. These data show that isolates of E. coli associated with diarrhea in rabbits in Brazil possess the genotype and phenotype typically associated with rabbit enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC). We conclude that EPEC that possess the eae gene are a common cause of diarrhea in Brazilian rabbit farms and that the pathogenic eae+ AF/R2+ isolates of O132:H2:B30 serobiotype are especially predominant.     

Effects of wheat or corn distillers dried grains with solubles on feedlot performance, fecal shedding, and persistence of Escherichia coli O157:H7

Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) are a coproduct of the ethanol industry and are often used as a replacement for grain in livestock production. Feeding corn DDGS to cattle has been linked to increased fecal shedding of Escherichia coli O157:H7, although in Canada, DDGS are often produced from wheat. This study assessed the effects of including 22.5% wheat or corn DDGS (DM basis) into barley-based diets on performance, carcass characteristics, animal health, and fecal E. coli O157:H7 shedding of commercial feedlot cattle. Cattle (n = 6,817) were randomly allocated to 10 pens per treatment group: WDDGS (diets including 22.5% wheat DDGS), CDDGS (diets including 22.5% corn DDGS), or CTRL (barley substituted for DDGS). Freshly voided fecal pats (n = 588) were collected and pooled monthly for fecal pH measurement and screened for naturally occurring E. coli O157:H7 by immunomagnetic separation (IMS) and direct plating (DP). Hide swabs (n = 367) were collected from randomly selected cattle from each pen before slaughter. Pen-floor fecal samples (n = 18) were collected from treatment groups at entry to the feedlot (<14 d on the finishing diet) and after adapting to the finishing diet for ≥14 d, inoculated (10(9) cfu of a 5 strain naldixic acid-resistant E. coli O157:H7 mixture), incubated (20°C) and evaluated weekly (IMS and DP) to assess fecal E. coli O157:H7 persistence. The WDDGS group had 3.0% poorer ADG (P = 0.007), 5.3% poorer G:F (P < 0.001), and a decreased proportion of Canada Quality Grade AAA carcasses (P = 0.022) compared with CTRL cattle. The CDDGS group had a similar ADG (P = 0.06), a decreased proportion of Canada Yield Grade (YG) 1 (P < 0.001), and greater proportions of Canada YG 2 (P = 0.003) and YG 3 (P < 0.001) carcasses compared with the CTRL group. There were no differences among groups in any of the animal health parameters assessed. Inclusion of DDGS in cattle finishing diets had no effect on fecal shedding (P = 0.650) or persistence (P = 0.953) of E. coli O157:H7. However, feces from cattle on starter diets <14 d had longer persistence of E. coli O157:H7 (week) than cattle on finishing diets ≥14 d (P < 0.003). Inclusion of DDGS in feedlot diets depends on commodity pricing relative to that of barley and for WDDGS must also include the risk of feedlot performance and carcass grading disadvantages. Feeding cattle barley based-diets with 22.5% corn or wheat DDGS did not affect fecal shedding of E. coli O157:H7.     

Environmental sources and transmission of Escherichia coli O157 in feedlot cattle

A study was conducted in 2 feedlots in southern Alberta to identify environmental sources and management factors associated with the prevalence and transmission of Escherichia coli O157:H7. Escherichia coli O157:H7 was isolated in preslaughter pens of cattle from feces (0.8%), feedbunks (1.7%), water troughs (12%), and incoming water supplies (4.5%), but not from fresh total mixed rations. Fresh total mixed rations did not support the growth of E. coli O157:H7 and E. coli from bovine feces following experimental inoculation. Within a feedlot, the feces, water troughs, and feedbunks shared a few indistinguishable subtypes of E. coli O157:H7. A few subtypes were repeatedly isolated in the same feedlot, and the 2 feedlots shared a few indistinguishable subtypes. The prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in water troughs of preslaughter cattle in 1 feedlot was associated with season, maximum climatic temperatures the week before sampling; total precipitation the week before sampling, and coliform and E. coli counts in the water trough.     

Antimicrobial susceptibilities, serogroups, and molecular characterization of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli isolates in Japan

In total, 83 avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) isolates from avian colibacillosis during a period from 2001 to 2006 in Japan were investigated for serogroups, typical virulence factors, antimicrobial susceptibility, and genetic relatedness. The most common serogroup was O78 (30.1%); 80.7% of isolates harbored the iss gene and 55.4% of isolates harbored the tsh gene. Antimicrobial resistance of the isolates was found for ampicillin (77.1%), oxytetracycline (75.9%), kanamycin (36.1%), fradiomycin (33.7%), trimethoprim (25.3%), enrofloxacin (21.7%), and florfenicol (6.0%). Although multiple antimicrobial-resistant phenotypes (three or more antimicrobials) accounted for 54.2% of isolates, no isolate exhibited resistance to all agents tested. The fluoroquinolone-resistant isolates had point mutations in GyrA (Ser83 --> Leu, Asp87 --> Asn) and ParC (Ser80 --> Ile, Glu84 --> Gly). Of 18 enrofloxacin-resistant E. coli isolates, nine isolates belonged to serotype O78. In PFGE analysis, eight of the nine enrofloxacin-resistant O78 isolates were classified into an identical cluster. This suggests that a specific genotype of fluoroquinolone-resistant O78 APEC may be widely distributed in Japan.     

Distribution of lipopolysaccharide core types among avian pathogenic Escherichia coli in relation to the major phylogenetic groups

Five distinct lipopolysaccharide (LPS) core types, namely R1-R4 and K12 have been identified in Escherichia coli. The aims of this study were to determine, primarily by means of PCR, the distribution of those oligosaccharide core types among avian pathogenic E. coli and their relationship to phylogenetic groups. To identify putative avian pathogenic E. coli, serum resistance and the presence of three virulence genes encoding temperature sensitive haemagglutinin (tsh), increased serum survival (iss) and colicin V (cvaC) were determined. Of the 143 clinical isolates examined 62% possessed the R1 core, 22% were R3, 13% were R4 and 3% were R2. Fifty commensal isolates consisted of 58% with R1 core, 38% with R3 core, 4% with R4 core, and none with R2. None of the isolates were of K12 core type. The distribution of core oligosaccharide types in clinical and commensal isolates were not statistically significant (P=0.51). Three genes, tsh, iss and cvaC were found in E. coli of all four core types. The genes tsh (P<0.001) and iss (P=0.03412) were significantly associated with the R4 core oligosaccharide type. The isolates containing R4 core type LPS were mainly confined to phylogenetic group D. The widespread R1 core type showed less ability to possess virulence genes and 83% were in the phylogenetic group A. Results of this study indicated that E. coli with R1, R2, R3 and R4 were important in causing infections in chickens and further, the E. coli with R4 core type were less common among commensals, possessed more virulence genes and were related to phylogenetic groups pathogenic for poultry.     

3种四环素耐药基因型肉牛肠道大肠杆菌对四环素类抗生素的耐药性分析

以低于治疗水平的氯四环素(CT)及低于治疗水平的氯四环素和治疗水平的氧四环素组合(CT-OX)两种方式分别对肉牛进行抗生素处理,研究其对肠道大肠杆菌耐药基因型的影响。从粪便样品分离大肠杆菌,并通过抗菌药物纸片法和稀释法敏感性试验测试分离出的大肠杆菌对四环素、氧四环素和氯四环素的敏感性。利用针对耐药基因tet(A)、tet(B)和tet(C)的引物对176个四环素耐药或中介的细菌样品进行多重PCR试验,结果发现所有样品均携带一种或两种耐药基因,tet(A)在两组样品中的流行基本相同,但CT组中tet(B)的流行比例显著小于CT-OX组(P<0.05),而tet(C)的流行比例则显著CT-OX组(P<0.05)。同时,在对四环素表现为中介的52个样品检测结果中,发现其中92.3%携带tet(C)基因。另外,最小抑菌浓度值(MICs)结果表明,药物敏感性同时取决于四环素类别和耐药基因型两方面。利用real-time PCR在转录水平上对tet(C)基因进行分析,发现耐药型与中介型并非上游调控造成。对tet(C)基因的测序分析结果发现,耐药型的第1063位碱基由T突变为G。由上述数据可知,对肉牛的四环素饲喂种类可以影响到大肠杆菌的耐药基因流行。     

病死雏鸡的病原分离鉴定

从送检的３１只病死雏鸡中分离出３０株致病菌，其中沙门氏杆菌２７株，分离率９０％，大肠杆菌６株，分离率２０％。对其中５株沙门氏杆菌和４株大肠杆菌进行了系统生化鉴定及血清型鉴定，证实５株沙门氏菌中鸡白痢沙门氏杆菌占６０％（３／５），鸡伤寒沙门氏杆菌占４０％（２／５），４株大肠杆菌中Ｏ２２株，Ｏ６１株，Ｏ１１５１株。对分离菌进行了雏鸡致病力及抗菌药物敏感性试验，提出了相应的预防对策     

Effect of Synbiotic and Antibacterial Peptide on Colibacillosis and Immune Regulation in Broiler Chickens

This experiment was to study the effect of synbiotic and antibacterial peptide on growth performance,and the immune regulation of broiler chickens after the E.coli O78 attack. Totally 100 broilers of health 1-day-old Ross 308 were randomly divided into four treatment groups:Synbiotic group (group S) was fed with basal diet+0.3% synbiotic;Antibacterial peptides group (group AP) was fed with basal diet+0.5% antibacterial peptide; Antibacterial peptide+synbiotic group (group SAP) was fed with basal diet+0.3% synbiotic+0.5% antibacterial peptide;Control group (group C) was fed with basal diet,and the growth performance were determined. At the 14th day,10 chickens from each group were randomly selected for muscle injection with E.coli O78 (the attacked control group was named as model group (group M)),and after 24 h,the morbidity,mortality and immune function of chickens in each group were determined. The results showed that compared with control group,the F/G and ADF of groups S and AP were significantly decreased (P<0.05).Before E.coli O78 attack,the bursa index of group SAP was significantly higher than control group (P<0.05),and other groups had no significant difference (P>0.05);While after the E.coli O78 attack,the thymus,spleen and bursa indexes of groups S and AP were significantly higher than control group (P<0.05),the spleen and bursa indexes of group SAP were significantly higher than control group (P<0.05),and the thymus index showed no significant difference (P>0.05).Compared with the group M,the IgA,sIgA and IL-10 of group S showed no significant difference (P>0.05),while the IL-6 levels decreased extremely significantly (P<0.01);The IgA and IL-6 of group AP were extremely significantly decreased (P<0.01),meanwhile the sIgA and IL-10 were significantly or extremely significantly higher (P<0.05;P<0.01); The changed trend of SAP group was the same as the group AP.In conclusion,the synbiotic and antibacterial peptide could improve the feed conversion rate of chickens and they were used alone or combination all could improved chicken immune function after the bacteria attack.