SUDDEN DEATHS IN A SHEEP FLOCK DUE TO MIXED INFECTION WITH COCCIDIA AND CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS TYPE D

Zaitoun, A.M.; El-Ballal, S.S.; El-Sayed, Z.M.

doi:10.21608/avmj.1998.183217

SUDDEN DEATHS IN A SHEEP FLOCK DUE TO MIXED INFECTION WITH COCCIDIA AND CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS TYPE D

Document Type : Research article

Authors

¹ Assiut Univ., Faculty of Vet. Med., Dept. Animal Med., Head of Dept. Prof. T.A.A. El-Allawy

² Dept. of Pathology, Fac. of Vet. Med., Assiut University

³ Section of Anaerobes, Animal Health Research Institute, Dokki-Cairo

10.21608/avmj.1998.183217

Abstract

Twenty-nine (23.58%) cases of the investigated sheep flock (123 heads) were suddenly succumbed. Ages of the succumbed animals were restricted between the 5-8 weeks to 6.5 months old. No fatalities were observed in the neonatal lambs or in the adults. Diseased sheep showed neurological manifestations rather than signs of enteritis and respiratory distress. Postmortem findings revealed that the intestines were congested and filled with brownish gelatinous fluid containing shreds of clotted blood. Histopathologically, malacic foci were clearly observed throughout the brains of the succumbed cases. Clostridium perfringens type D organisms (pure cultures) were isolated from 71.43% of the tested samples. Epsilon toxin was detected in all samples of the intestinal contents and in the cultures of the isolated strains (toxin-producing strains). Parasitological examinations revealed that the lambs and the younger sheep were suffered from severe coccidiosis. Therapeutic trial was done with successful results to stop the fatality rate. Field observations and statistical analysis revealed that the morbidity % of the disease (enterotoxemia) was apparently elevated prior to inoculation the sheep with higher doses of Fasciolid (nitroxynil), anthelmintic drug. It is suggested that the severe pathological alterations induced by coccidiosis stimulated the quiescent CI. perfringens type D organism that located normally in the intestine of sheep to proliferate and produce its toxins. It is probable that the overdose of anthelmintic drug act as a major and/or minor predisposing factor for pathogenesis of that disease.

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