Pseudomonas infection in Chickens

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeuroginosa is a motile, gram negative, oxidase positive bacteria, grows well on MacConkey agar media. It is a rod shaped bacteria occurring singly or in short chains, microscopically, margins of the colonies are having hook like projections. The organism is a strict aerobe, also grows readily on other common bacteriological media. The bacteria usually produces a water soluble green pigment composed of fluorescent and pyocyanin with a characteristics fruity odor. The organism is ubiquitous, often associated with soil, water and humid environment. In this case study, the organism was isolated from young chickens and dead embryos. The disease causes high mortality in newly hatched chickens and mass death of embryo at later stage. Our bacteriological results were consistence with the published literature. The experimental trial on different age groups has showed that the isolated causative agent (P. aeuroginosa) was found to be highly virulent to the young chickens (1 - 10 day old) and less pathogenic to chickens of 11 - 20 day old. The older chickens (>20 days) were found to be resistant to the infection. The agent more likely invades the host organism through wound and/or respiratory route. The organism was found to be resistant for the most common antibiotics, but it was found highly sensitive to Polymixin B and Amicacin which gave wide growth inhibition zone of 1.5 and 2 cm, respectively. Prevention of the Pseudomonas infection in the farm can be achieved by taking all the necessary bio-security measures. Key words: Pseudomonas aeuroginosa, embryos, hook like projection colonies.