PREVALENCE OF CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS AND CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS-LIKE ORGANISMS IN FAECAL SAMPLES OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Clostridium
perfringens and C. perfringens like organisms in domestic ruminants,
equines and chicken and to clarify the confusion between these
organisms.
In this study, two hundred and ten faecal samples were collected
from seven animal species (cattle, sheep, goats, camels, horses, donkeys
and chicken. Thirty samples were taken from each species. The faecal
samples were cultured into cooked meat medium and then subcultured on
blood agar under anaerobic condition. Pure colonies were identified to the
species level using biochemical tests, lecithinase production as well as
synergistic hemolysis.
Out of the 210 faecal samples, 130 isolates of C. perfringens and C.
perfringens-like organisms were isolated. 50 isolates were Clostridium
perfringens which constituted 38.5% of them i.e., with a prevalence rate
of 23.8% in the animals tested. Eighty isolates (61.5%) were C.
perfringens-like organisms which included C. sardiniensis, C. absonum,
C. beijerinckii, C. celatum and C. barati, with prevalence rates of 27.6%,
4.8%, 3.3%, 1.9% and 0.5%, respectively. Chicken gave the greatest
number of C. perfringens followed by donkeys and then camels, while the
greatest number of C. perfringens- like organisms was detected in camels
and then donkeys.
The results revealed that C. perfringens and C. perfringens-like
organisms were detected in all animal species examined with
varying percentages and not be overlooked during the process of
isolation of C. perfringens.