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Table 2 Study design and animals

From: In vivo models of Escherichia coli infection in poultry

Study aim/purpose/scope etc.

Species, race

Research animal provider

Age

Gender

Group sizes (n)

Housing

Feed

Light/dark cycle etc

Randomised group allocation (yes/no)

Additional information (SPF, immunosuppression, analgesia etc.)

References

Establishes a model of yolk sac infection (not a main aim)

Chicks

Sunrise farms

12 h

NA

NA

NA

Ad libitum chicken starter ration

NA

No

Derived from SPF eggs

[10]

Establish a model of differential resistance towards APEC

Inbred lines: 72, 15I and C.B12. Novogen brown layers

Repeat study: 72, 15I

National Avian Research Facility, University of Edinburgh

2 weeks

NA

10/each line and each dose

Repeat study: 18

NA

Ad libitum

NA

No

All inbred lines were hatched and housed under SPF conditions

Novogen Brown layers were housed under SPF conditions

[12]

Describe a model useful for studying ExPEC infections and a chicken lung colonization model

White leghorn

Lohman Tierzucht GmbH

5 weeks

NA

Approx. 15a

Depends on experiment

NA

Ad libitum

NA

No

SPF

[11]

Develop a reproducible infection model ideally mimicking natural infection

White leghorn layers

NA

56 weeks

Female

5

NA

Ad libitum

NA

No

Two initial pilot studies are described in detail in the paper

[13]

Develop a cellulitis model with numerous manifestations of colibacillosis

Broilers

Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Canada

3 weeks old

NA

Dose titration: 13 (12)

Bacteraemia: 10 (9)

Isolation rooms

Commercial broiler ration ad libitum

12 h lighting period

Yes

20–22 °C in the facilities

Non-recirculated air with a rate of 8–10 changes/h

[14]

Describe lesions of colibacillosis in a turkey (stress) model

Slow growing turkey line with high egg yield, a line selected for high growth, and a commercial turkey line

Slow- and fast-growing lines: Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster, Ohio

Commercial line: commercial turkey hatchery

14 weeks at challenged

Mixed sex

7–10 in challenge groups, 5–6 in control groups

Floor pens with pine shavings

Ad libitum standard corn and soybean turkey ration

23 h day, 1 h night

No

Obtained at hatch

Sexed upon necropsy

[15]

To develop and describe an aerogenous model of avian colibacillosis in adult broiler breeders

Ross 308

SweHatch, Sweden

29 weeks upon arrival

Female

20

8.64 m2 coops/group with wood shavings, turf dust-baths, straw, hay, shelves, and perches as enrichment

155 g/hen/day commercial wholefood for egg-laying hens

12 h/12 h with 30-min dim-phases

Yes

Treated with buprenorphine upon indication 7 days of acclimatation

Housing temperatures provided

[5]

To reproduce peritonitis syndrome with E. coli in layersb

Brown layers

Commercial

23–33 weeks depending on study

Female

7 or 14 depending on study

Negative-pressure high-efficiency particulate air isolators of 1.32 m3. Housed separately

Ad libitum commercial layer diet

16 h of light

No

Isolator temperature, relative humidity, and ventilation rate 7 days of acclimatation

Euthanasia by carbon dioxide/O2 mixture and bleed from vena jugularis

Provides vast detail on inoculation methods

[16]

Describe a modified model of cellulitis under realistic conditionsb

Broilers

Commercial hatchery

28 days (assigned to treatment groups)

NA

250b

Floor pens with pine shavings

Ad libitum

NA

Yes

Exp. 1: total n = 1500

Exp. 2: total n = 1600

Euthanasia was performed by cervical dislocation

Moribund or disabled birds were euthanised immediately

[22]

Validation of an E. coli model in Japanese Quail

Japanese quail

Fircrest Farms

9 weeks old at arrival

NA

10

Floor pens

Turkey grower feed (non-medicated) ad libitum

NA

Yes

Controlled ventilation within facilities and a temperature kept at 20–21 °C 7 days of acclimatation

Euthanasia by isoflurane inhalation followed by cervical dislocation

[17]

Refine challenge procedures and develop a reproducible model of cellulitis further

Broilers

Commercial hatchery

39 days

NA

Exp.1: 10a

Exp.2: 85 altogether

Floor pens with new litter

Ad libitum

NA

Exp.1: Yes

Moribund and surviving animals were euthanised by carbon dioxide asphyxiation

[18]

Describe a realistic model of cellulitis

Broilers

Commercial hatchery

28 days

NA

Approxima-tely 133/group

Floor pens

Ad libitum

NA

Yes

Moribund and surviving animals were euthanised by carbon dioxide asphyxiation or cervical dislocation

[21]

Develop a model in 3–4-week-old chickens of colibacillosis with an exposure simulating the natural route

Commercial chickens

Commercial hatcheries

Arrives as day old chicks. Age at the day of exposure depends on experiment

NA

Dependent on experiment. The study includes numerous experiments

Initially battery cages. Transferred to Horsfall units on the day of inoculation

Ad libitum

NA

Yes

Schematic drawing of cone-chamber

[20]

To develop a surgical model based on oviduct inoculationc

Commercial white layers

NA

48 weeks

Female

5

Housed on the floor

NA

NA

No

All birds received buprenorphine prior to surgery

[19]

  1. APEC, avian pathogenic E. coli; exp., experiment; ExPEC, extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli; h, hour; NA, not available; SPF, specific pathogen free
  2. aMultiple experiments were conducted with the n varying slightly
  3. bNot stated directly in the paper
  4. cThe study had several aims