Effects of probiotic supplementation on clinicopathological alterations in Barki sheep with Mange.

Abstract

Background: Ovine mange is a highly transmissible skin condition that typically results in significant economiclosses.

Aim: This research explored the clinicopathological alterations associated with mange in Barki sheep and evaluated the impact of integrating probiotics (ZAD) into the treatment protocol. Additionally, the study proposed diagnostic markers and indicators for assessing treatment prognosis.

Method: Twenty healthy lambs [control group (CG)] and 20 lambs suffered from mange symptoms (confirmed by skin scrapings) in the diseased group (DG). DG was divided into two groups: the traditional group (TG) was injected once with 1 ml/50 kg ivermectin 1% (Promectine, Invesa) subcutaneously injected + topical Zinc ointment, and the ZAD Group (ZG): received the same treatment + 5 ml/ head of ZAD orally, repeated daily for 3 weeks. Skin scraping was repeated weekly until complete curing in both groups. Blood samples were collected from CG, DG (before treatment), and TG and ZG (after recovery).

Result: DG (compared to CG) showed a significant (p < 0.05) innate immune response with hypercortisolemia and hypoinsulinemia, microcytic hypochromic anemia with leukocytosis and lymphocytopenia, hypoglycemia, hypoalbuminemia, hyperglobulinemia, hyperlipidemia, elevated liver and kidney function tests, decreased minerals and electrolytes, and hypozincemia. After treatment, the clinical symptoms and lesions completely recovered, and most of the estimated parameters reobtain their physiological ranges in TG and ZG on the 21st day. ZAD did not significantly impact the recovery or regression of lesions, but it markedly improved the diseased animals body weights and serum glucose in ZG (compared to CG and TG). Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and ferritin had the highest likelihood ratios among the estimated markers.

Conclusion: Ovine scabies can lead to systemic and clinicopathological changes, necessitating careful monitoring and intervention. Adding ZAD to the treatment of mangy sheep might help enhance their body weights and serum glucose levels, but it does not affect the healing or reduction of lesions. TAC and IL-1β serve as dependable indicators for diagnosing ovine scabies, whereas TAC and ferritin are valuable for evaluating treatment effectiveness.