Isolation and Characterization of Enterobacteria Associated with Health and Disease in Sonali Chickens

Bacteriological examination on intestinal swabs of 30 apparently healthy and 30 sick / dead Sonali chickens (Fayoumi hen × RIR cock), aged between 25 to 60 weeks were carried out to determine the enteropathogens associated with health and disease, during the period from March to October 2003. These birds of either sex and reared under semi-scavenging system under the SLDP-2 project area in the district of Feni. The 60 swabs were collected at slaughter / necropsy in sterile nutrient and tetrathionate broth. In addition, the gross tissue changes of the sick / dead birds were recorded. The prevalent bacterial flora in intestinal swabs were Salmonella (33.33%), E. coli (95.0%), Staphylococcus (51.66%), Streptococcus (40%) and Pasteurella multocida (3.33%) of which Salmonella (36.66%) and E. coli (26.66%) were associated with marked pathological lesions. The isolated enteropathogens and their associated gross and histopathological changes are described and discussed. It may be concluded from this study that the enteric bacteria usually remain as clinically overt infection and do not produce clinical disease unless or until other factors are involved. Key words: Enterobacteria; apparently healthy chickens; sick/dead chickens; pathology doi: 10.3329/bjvm.v2i1.1928 Bangl. J. Vet. Med. (2004). 2 (1) : 15-21