Vibrio vulnificus and Proteus vulgaris Co-infection Associated with High Mortality in a Flock of Turkey in Ado Ekiti, Nigeria

Abstract

The study reports bacteriological investigations carried out on a case of high mortality (10%) reported over a period of one week in a flock of turkey, 450 in number, aged 16 weeks old, in a poultry farm in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. Clinical signs were those of weakness, recumbence, diarrhoea (yellowish to greenish in colour) and weight loss. Post morterm examination was that of enteritis and mild liver enlargement, with no major pathognomonic lesions. Bacteriological investigations were carried out on clinical (Blood, Liver, Heart Muscles and Bile) and environmental (feed, drinking water and litter) samples. Bacteriological studies of the clinical samples obtained from dead birds revealed a co-infection of Vibrio vulnificus and Proteus vulgaris. The clinical bacterial isolates showed highest susceptibility to Ofloxacin (75%), with varied levels of susceptibility to other antibiotics tested. Mortality on the farm was curtailed following an oral medication with norfloxacin. A variety of bacteria, including Vibrio vulnificus and Proteus vulgaris, were isolated from the environmental samples. The bacterial isolates from the environmental samples were resistant to multiple drugs. Since the bacteria implicated in the clinical infection were isolated from environmental samples, an adequate biosecurity measures is needful in poultry farm for profitability.

Keywords: Antibiotic-resistance, Bacteria, Co-infection, Mortality and Turkey