Abstract
Aim:A total of 112 freshly dead ducks aged from 2 to 20 weeks old with a history of respiratory manifestations were investigated for the implication of Pasteurellaceae family members.Materials and Methods:Isolation and identification to the family level were conducted by conventional bacteriological methods, including microscopic examination and biochemical characterization. Identification to the species level was conducted by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and analytical profile index (API) 20E kits.Results:Conventional bacteriological isolation and biochemical characterization revealed the infection of 16/112 examined birds with a prevalence rate of 14.3%. PCR confirmed the detection of Pasteurellaceae family conserved genes RpoB and Bootz in 16/16 (100%) isolates. PCR was also used for genus and species identification of the isolated Pasteurellaceae members; the results revealed that 5/16 (31.3%) of isolates were Gallibacterium anatis and 2/16 of isolates (12.5%) were Pasteurella multocida. Riemerella anatipestifer, Mannheimia haemolytica, and Avibacterium paragallinarum were not detected by PCR. Biotyping by API 20E successfully identified 5/16 (31.3%) isolates that could not be typed by PCR and confirmed their belonging to Pasteurella pneumotropica. Neither the available PCR primer sets nor API 20E succeeded for species identification of 4/16 (25%) isolates. Antibiotic susceptibility profiling of isolates revealed that 16/16 (100%) of isolates demonstrated multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotypes. Moreover, 16/16 (100%) of isolates demonstrated a phenotypic resistance pattern to neomycin.Conclusion:Combined genotypic, phenotypic, biotyping, and virulence characterizations are required for laboratory identification of pathogenic Pasteurellaceae. Moreover, P. multocida was not the prevailed member implicated in respiratory problems in ducks as P. pneumotropica, G. anatis, and unidentified strains were involved with higher prevalence. Chloramphenicol and ampicillin demonstrated the highest in vitro effects on the studied Pasteurellaceae. Furthermore, the prevalence of multidrug-resistant isolates signified the demand to implement targeted surveillance in the ducks’ production sector, and MDR survey in poultry sectors in Egypt to apply effective control measures.
Highlights
Rearing ducks are popular in Egypt at households and intensive commercial production systems as well
P. multocida was not the prevailed member implicated in respiratory problems in ducks as P. pneumotropica, G. anatis, and unidentified strains were involved with higher prevalence
A total of 112 freshly dead ducks (Muscovy and Mallard) aged from 2 to 20 weeks old with a history of respiratory manifestations, high morbidity, and high mortality rates were transported under aseptic condition in iceboxes within maximum 24 h from commercial farms located at Hefna town, Belbes district, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt to Animal Health Research Provincial Laboratory in Zagazig city for postmortem examination and sampling from internal organs, freshly dead carcasses were kept in maintained refrigeration temperature at 5°C±2°C during the period elapsed from farm investigation till delivered to the laboratory
Summary
Rearing ducks are popular in Egypt at households and intensive commercial production systems as well. The popularity of ducks’ production in Egypt is encouraged by the fact that ducks are better adapted than chickens for environmental conditions, require less care, and are more resistant to diseases in addition to being of high and palatable meat and eggs [1]. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/ publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated. Pasteurellosis is considered one of the major causes associated with high mortality in ducks [3]
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