ISOLATION, IDENTIFICATION AND ANTIBIOGRAM OF ESCHERICIA COLI FROM BROILER AT CHITTAGONG DISTRICT IN BANGLADESH

The study was conducted to isolate and identify Escherichia coli from dead broiler chickens from different poultry farms in Chittagong, Bangladesh, from July, 2010 to June, 2011 and also the antibiogram of the isolates. A total number of 275 dead broiler chickens were examined and 150 (54.55%)were diagnosed as infected with E. coli. The E. coli were isolated and identified by cultural and biochemical characteristics. The isolated E. coli were highly sensitive to colistin sulphate followed by ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin, ampicillin, oxytetracyclin, and resistant to cotrimoxazole, gentamycin and penicillin. It may be concluded from the results of this study that the high resistance of E. coli to antibiotics constitutes a threat to poultry industry in Bangladesh.