There are concerns that apparently healthy chickens may transmit
potentially pathogenic pathogens that could threaten not only poultry industry,
but also public health. This investigative study was carried out in Jos,
Nigeria to determine the prevalent bacterial agents in the oropharynxs of
apparently healthy chickens. Four hundred (400) oropharyngeal swabs were
collected from 400 apparently healthy chickens for bacteriological analysis.
Swab from each sample was cultured on 7% defibrinated sheep blood, Casein
Sucrose Yeast (CSY) agar and MacConkey. Oropharyngeal swabs were cultured
indirectly by inoculating into 5 ml of brain heart infusion broth (BHI), incubated
at 37℃ for 24 h and then streaked unto Casein Sucrose Yeast (CSY) agar,
MacConkey agar and Blood agar. Presumptive colonies of bacterial agents were
subjected to conventional biochemical characterization. The result of
biochemical test identified the following bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus 82 (20.5%), Escherichia coli 53 (13.3%), Klebsiella pneumonia 35 (8.8%) and Proteus species 26 (6.6%), Pasteurella
multocida 5 (1.3%)among others. Staphylococcus aureus (20.5%) was the
highest followed by Escherichia coli (13.3%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (8.8%) and Pasteurella multocida (1.3%) was the
least. It was concluded that the oropharynxs of apparently healthy chickens harbored
a lot of bacterial agents which could cause infections when the immune system was
compromised.
Cite this paper
Dashe, Y. G. , Raji, M. A. , Abdu, P. A. , Oladele, B. S. and Oluwadare, L. (2015). Bacteria Isolated from the Oropharynxs of Apparently Healthy Chickens in Jos, Nigeria. Open Access Library Journal, 2, e1808. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1101808.
Orajaka, L.J.E. and Mohan, K. (1985) Aerobic Bacterial Flora from Dead-in-Shell Chicken Embryo from Nigeria. Avian Diseases, 29, 583-589. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1590649
Clinical
and Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) (2009) Procedure Manual for Laboratory Practice. 3rd Edition, CLSI-Science
and Education Publishing, Wayne.
Barrow, G.I. and Felthan, R.K.A. (2004) Cowan and Steels Identification of
Medical Bacteria. 4th Edition, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, London, 50-145.
Adele,
S. B. and Raji, M. A. (1997) Retrospective Studies of Fungal and Bacterial
Flora of Chicken in Zaria, Nigeria. Bulletin of Animal Health and Production
in Africa, 45, 79-81.
Adele, S.B., Raji,
M.T. and Raji, M.A. (1999) Prevalence of Bacterial and
Fungal Microflora Isolated from Some Wild and Domesticated Birds in Zaria,
Nigeria. Bulletin of Animal Health and
Production in Africa, 47,
127-132.
Hunter, B. and Wobeser, G. (1980) Pathology of Experimental Avian
Cholera in Mallard Ducks. Avian Diseases,
24, 403-414. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1589707
Muhairwa, A.P., Christensen, J.P. and Bisgaard, M. (2000) Relationship among Pasteurellaceae Isolated from Free Ranging
Chickens and Their Animal Contacts as Determined by Quantitative Phenotyping, Ribotyping
and REA- Typing. Veterinary
Microbiology, 78, 119-137. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0378-1135(00)00295-9
Matsumoto, M.
and Strain, J.G. (1993) Pathogenicity of Pasteurella
multocida: Its Variable Nature Demonstrated by in Vivo Passages. Avian
Diseases, 37, 781-785. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1592029