SEROTYPES, TOXINS AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE OF Escherichia coli (E.COLI) STRAINS ISOLATED FROM DIARRHEIC RABBITS IN PHU VANG, THUA THIEN HUE

This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of E. coli in rabbits, their biochemical and serological characteristics, common virulence genes, and antibiotic resistance. The diarrhea rabbit feces were collected from households and rabbit farms in Phu Vang - Thua Thien Hue with a total of 250 samples for testing. The results showed that rabbits age from 31 to 45 days old had the highest incidence of diarrhea disease caused by E.coli (92.0%) and the lowest infection rate was observed in rabbits over 60 days old with an infection rate of 30%. Further, the isolated E.coli strains tested biochemical characteristics showed 100% motile, positive for indole and methyl red, fermenting glucose and lactose. Simultaneously these strains were detected belong to 7 serotypes O103, O157, O158, O169, O44, O125, O153 and susceptible to cefuroxime (95.45%), akamicin (86.37%), streptomycin (81.82%), amoxicillin (81.82%), tetracycline (68.18%), colistin (68.18%), ampicillin (63.63%), gentamycin (59.10%) and levofloxacin (50.0%), whilst resistant to doxycycline (100%), sulfamethoxazole-bactrim (95.46%), and neomycin (86.37%). By using PCR assay for detection of virulence genes of the isolated E. coli strains, there were 7 strains carried virulence genes, of which 4/7 E. coli strains carried eaeA and tsh genes (57.14%), 2/7 strains carried stx2 gene (28.57%); 1/7 E. coli strains carried stx1 gene (14.28%) and the F4, F5 and F6 genes were not found in all serotypes in this study.

IbM Kelompok Ternak Kelinci dan Kelompok Tani Cabai di Desa Mekarsari dan Sidorejo, Kecamatan Kabawetan, Kabupaten Kepahiang, Provinsi Bengkulu

IbM program for farmer group partners rabbits Tani Mulya village Mekarsari aims to provide knowledge and business skills make Bokashi fertilizer and liquid organic fertilizer by utilizing waste rabbits are widely available in the village Mekarsari as one of the productive economic activities. Program for partners Rational Kepahiang chili farmer groups is to give knowledge and skills in chili cultivation by utilizing Bokashi rabbit droppings and urine POC rabbits to substitute the use of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides, as well as increase production of chili plants. Methods of execution include: (1) Extension and technical guidance of making modifications to the enclosure; (2) Training and technical guidance manufacture Bokashi rabbit feces and urine POC (3) Extension and technical guidance packaging and manufacture of trademarks Bokashi rabbit feces and urine POC; and (4) Extension and demonstration plot curly chilli cultivation. The conclusion of this program are members of the group partner 1 (Tani Mulya) already know and understand in modifying enclosures so that the urine of rabbits can be disposed of easily, leftover food and feces collected well, where food is specially concentrate that is easily accessible rabbits and easy to clean, the food in the form of special herbs are easy to reach and a special drink that rabbit feels comfortable, environmental sanitation is better and easier to collect waste enclosure to be used as organic fertilizer. In addition, farmers' groups have been able to make fertilizer bokashi of solid waste and liquid waste rabbits, making the brand and market Bokashi manure they produce. Members of farmers group partner 2 (Rational Kepahiang) already know and understand the chilli cultivation by utilizing Bokashi rabbit droppings and urine POC rabbit in order to substitute the use of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides.

Transfer of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from Simulated Wildlife Scat onto Romaine Lettuce during Foliar Irrigation

A field trial in Salinas Valley, California, was conducted during July 2011 to quantify the microbial load that transfers from wildlife feces onto nearby lettuce during foliar irrigation. Romaine lettuce was grown using standard commercial practices and irrigated using an impact sprinkler design. Five grams of rabbit feces was spiked with 1.29 × 108 CFU of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and placed −3, −2, and −1 days and immediately before a 2-h irrigation event. Immediately after irrigation, 168 heads of lettuce ranging from ca. 23 to 69 cm (from 9 to 27 in.) from the fecal deposits were collected, and the concentration of E. coli O157:H7 was determined. Thirty-eight percent of the collected lettuce heads had detectable E. coli O157:H7, ranging from 1 MPN to 2.30 × 105 MPN per head and a mean concentration of 7.37 × 103 MPN per head. Based on this weighted arithmetic mean concentration of 7.37 × 103 MPN of bacteria per positive head, only 0.00573% of the original 5 g of scat with its mean load of 1.29 × 108 CFU was transferred to the positive heads of lettuce. Bacterial contamination was limited to the outer leaves of lettuce. In addition, factors associated with the transfer of E. coli O157:H7 from scat to lettuce were distance between the scat and lettuce, age of scat before irrigation, and mean distance between scat and the irrigation sprinkler heads. This study quantified the transfer coefficient between scat and adjacent heads of lettuce as a function of irrigation. The data can be used to populate a quantitative produce risk assessment model for E. coli O157:H7 in romaine lettuce to inform risk management and food safety policies.

The Contribution of Endozoochory to the Colonization and Vegetation Composition of Recently Formed Sand Coastal Dunes

The objective of this study was to determine whether endozoochory contributes to the dispersal and colonization of plant species in recently formed coastal dunes. At least 5.7% of species present in the study area are being dispersed by wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculusL.). Most dispersed species are perennial herbs with small seeds size. The continuous input of seeds through rabbit feces into newly created areas would ensure the constant arrival of seeds and would facilitate colonization. Therefore, endozoochorous dispersal may play a relevant role for the structure and composition of dune plant communities.

Mechanical aspects of rabbit fecal dehydration

The hydrostatic pressure required to reduce the water content of rabbit feces in an odometer from greater than 80 to less than 65% was approximately 5 atm. This pressure was unaffected by raising the temperature from 20 to 37 degrees C. It became progressively more difficult to dehydrate feces as consolidation occurred, as is evident from the significant (P less than 0.001) reduction in the fecal consolidation coefficient (Co) from 1.76 +/- 0.25 X 10(-6) (n = 4) to 1.35 +/- 0.093 X 10(-7) m2/s (n = 4) and the fecal fluid permeability coefficient (k) from 4.10 +/- 0.51 X 10(-8) (n = 4) to 1.42 +/- 0.12 X 10(-10) m/s (n = 4), concomitant with the reduction in fecal water content. The results suggest that rabbit hard feces are unlikely to be produced, under physiological conditions, by mechanical pressure exerted by the wall of the colon or by a prolonged retention time of hard feces by the distal colon. The hypertonic absorbate (1,000 mosmol/kg) produced by rabbit descending colon is of sufficient magnitude to overcome the fecal resistance to dehydration.

DECOMPOSITION OF RABBIT FECES: ROLE OF THE SCIARID FLY LYCORIELLA MALI (DIPTERA: SCIARIDAE) IN ENERGY TRANSFORMATIONS

Gross decomposition (wt./cal) losses of rabbit feces colonized by larvae of the sciarid fly Lycoriella mali Fitch as contrasted with feces incubated without fly larvae were studied in the laboratory. Under conditions of high larval density and intense grazing pressure, fecal weight and calorie losses (30 days) were double those from fecal samples incubated without flies. Decomposition losses among the samples in a given treatment showed limited variation although the number of emergent adults varied greatly. Although published caloric values obtained for microflora and flies are significantly higher than those recorded for the rabbit feces used in this study (4837 cal/g), feces colonized by flies and feces incubated without flies had caloric values equivalent to that of the unincubated control. Larvae consumed both the mycelium and sporocarps of coprophilous fungi.