Histopathological Changes Associated with Experimental Infection of Arcobacter butzleri in Albino Rats

Abstract

Arcobacters are emerging food borne pathogens potentially associated with prolonged diarrhoea and occasional systemic infections but the pathogenic mechanisms of these bacteria are largely unknown. This study was designed to investigate the pathogenicity of Arcobacter isolates. Two strains of A. butzleri isolated from stool of healthy chickens were confirmed with real time PCR and tested on albino rat by giving a single oral challenge of 109cfu/ml to 65 healthy adult male rats. Five (5) uninfected animals were used as control. Diarrheoal illness occurred in all rats from the fifth day and resolved from day 21 post infection, severe histopathological lesion such as hepatic necrosis, villous erosion, desquamation, matting and necrosis of the segments of small intestine was also observed. In this study, the toxic ileitis necrosis pattern of pathology in the gut of experimentally infected rats could be an indication of observed persistent watery diarrhea associated with the clinical presentation of Arcobacter infection in humans. The pathology of A. butzleri in albino rats had not been previously described, and it appears that the present study is the first report in Nigeria. It may therefore be useful for further investigation.