Recent Status of Clostridial Enteritis Affecting Early Weaned Rabbits in Egypt

A surveillance study for diagnosis of Clostridial enteritis affecting early weaned rabbits was carried out on eight Egyptian governorates. Diagnosis based on history, clinical examination, palpation, post-mortem lesions, histopathological examination, as well as isolation of different Clostridial species (spp.) causing Clostridial enteritis. Two samples representing rectal swabs, liver and intestine were collected from each examined rabbits. A total of 718 samples expressing 329 surveyed rabbits (95 apparently healthy, 204 clinically affected and 30 freshly dead ones). Equal number (19) of feed and water samples were collected from each surveyed farm. All the samples were subjected for Clostridial isolation and spp. identification after cultural and biochemical characterization. Tissue samples from liver and intestine of freshly dead rabbits were subjected for histopathological examination. Results revealed that, the most prevalent observed signs were severe diarrhea, bloat accompanied with variable mortalities. Post-mortem lesions were severe enteritis and typhlitis with different degrees of necrosis and hemorrhages associated with gaseous contents. Both kidneys and livers showed congestion and enlargement with peripheral hepatic necrosis. The rate of isolation of Clostridial spp. recovered from 756 rabbits, feed and water samples was 311 (41.13%). Only 135 (41.03%) out of 329 examined rabbits was positive for Clostridial spp. that was distributed as the following; 109 (80.74%) exhibited single Clostridial spp., 4 (2.96%) showed mixed infection with more than one Clostridial spp. and 22 (16.29%) were un-typable. From 135 positive Clostridial spp.; Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens), C. tertium, C. sporogenes, C. bifermentans, C. septicum and C. difficile were recovered as 35 (25.92%), 32 (23.70%), 19 (14.07%), 14 (10.37%), 5 (3.70%) and 4 (2.96%), respectively. Mixed types (C. perfringens and C. tertium) were represented as 2 (1.48%), (C. perfringens and C. sporogenes) 1 (0.74%) as well as (C. perfringens and C. difficile) 1 (0.74%). Seven (18.42%) out of 38 examined feed and water samples was positive for Clostridial spp. where C. perfringens was the only Clostridial spp. that isolated at a rate of 6/19 (31.57%) from feed and 1.0/19 (5.26%) from water samples. The distribution of Clostridial spp. among surveyed rabbit's farms at different Egyptian governorates was detected. On histopathological examination, fibrosis in the portal area of liver as well as infiltration with inflammatory cells, and also diffuse inflammatory cells, oedema and necrosis was observed in intestines. (Khelfa D. E. -D. G., Wafaa A. Abd El-Ghany and Heba M. Salem Recent Status of Clostridial Enteritis Affecting Early Weaned Rabbits in Egypt. Life Sci J 2012;9(4):2272-2279) (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 337