Abstract of research

Studies on bacterial causes of joint infection in chickens

A.M. Hegazy , Abd-ElAleem Ismail , H. Abd-Allah and H. Tolba

Abstract

Pathogenic bacteria play a serious role in arthritis in chickens which decrease chickens productivity and increase in economic losses so this study was conducted to assess the most pathogenic bacteria causing arthritis in chickens. In the present study 100 chickens showing arthritis were collected from different localities in Sharkia governorates. Positive bacterial isolates (123) were isolated from hock joint and foot pad with their percentage classified as follow, 44 S.aureus (35.77%), 37 E.coli(30.08%), 5 Salmonella(4.06%), 21 proteus (17.07%), 12 pseudomonas(9.75%), 1 Enterobacter (0.81%) and 3 Shigella (2.43%). The prevalence of bacterial isolates from different joints of the examined chickens revealed that the percentage of Staph aureus in hock joint, foot pad was (65.90%) and (34.09%) respectively but in case of E.coli the percentage was (89.18%) and (10.81%) respectively and S.Typhimurium percentage was (100%), (0%)Serologically E.coli serotypes were O55,O78,O158,O128,O111and untyped with a percentage (9.09, 27.2, 18.1, 9.09, 9.09 and 27.2% respectively while salmonella serotypes into S. Typhimurium with a percentage 100%.Experimentally 130 day old Hubbard chichens were infected with the isolated bacteria showed lameness, reluctant to move and swelling of hock joint & foot pad leading to high economic losses. Also the sensitivity test of the isolatedM.O showed S. aureus was highly sensitive to enerofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and norofloxacin. While E. coli was highly sensitive to enrofloxacin, chlormphenicol and norofloxacin On the other handS. Typhimurium was highly sensitive to enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and doxycycline.