Studies on the necrotic enteritis of chicken in Korea

Park, Kyoung-yoon; Jung, Sung-dae; Yeh, Jae-gil; Seo, Il-bok

Korean Journal of Veterinary Research 1994;34(3):593-599.

Kyoung-yoon Park¹, Sung-dae Jung¹, Jae-gil Yeh¹, Il-bok Seo²

¹Bayer Veterinary Medical Research Institute
²College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University

국내(國內) 닭의 괴사성 장염 발생에 관한 연구

박경윤¹, 정성대¹, 예재길¹, 서일복²

¹바이엘 동물의약연구소
²서울대학교 수의과대학

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the necrotic enteritis of chicken in Korea. Epidemiological, pathological and microbiological examination were done on 12 naturally occurred cases of necrotic enteritis of chicken. And the susceptibility of isolated bacteria to antimicrobial agents was also examined. The results obtained were as follows; 1. The Clostridium perfringens infection, necrotic enteritis of chicken, occurred in the chickens mainly raised in floor pens. Necrotic enteritis of chicken was occurred coincidently with coccidiosis and Gumboro disease frequently. And several cases were recurred at 2-3 weeks after recovery. 2. Clinical signs of the infected chickens were depression, decreased appetite, reluctance to move, diarrhea, ruffled feathers and acute death within several hours. 3. The characteristic biochemical properties of isolates were 2-band hemolysis, no motility, positive reaction of reverse CAMP test and the formation of LV precipitate in egg yolk medium. 4. Gross lesions of the infected chickens were distention of intestine with gas, thickened mucosa and formation of thick pseudomembrane in intestine. Livers were friable with yellowish brown color and, in some case, showed demarcated necrotic foci. 5. Histopathological findings of the infected chickens were severe necrosis of the intestinal mucosa and attachment of numerous large bacilli to the mucosal surface of necrotic villi. In liver, necrosis of liver tissue and numerous large bacilli in the necrotic foci were also observed. 6. In susceptibility test to antimicrobial agents, 12 isolates of Clostridium perfringens were highly sensitive to ampicillin, baytril, cephalothin and penicillin.

Key Words: Clostridium perfringens, necrotic enteritis, biochemical properties, antimicrobial susceptibility