Abstract:
A study was undertaken to find out the microbial agents associated
with the recently reported eye infection of chickens in many parts of Kerala.
Samples were collected from 83 birds from different parts of Kerala. The
bio-materials employed for the study were the conjunctival swabs and air
sac materials. Organisms isolated from different stages of infection include
45 isolates of E. coli, 28 isolates of S. aureus, 11 isolates of B. coagulans,
,
eight isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, two isolates of S. epidermidis,
ten isolates of Alloscheria sp., five isolates of Penicillin sp. and three
isolates of Scopulariopsis sp. and three isolates of M gallisepticum. On an
average, the rate of isolation of microbial agents per sample at the
beginning, mid and advanced stage of infection were 0.5, 1.3 and 2.8
respectively, showing that the number and type of organism isolated
increased as the disease advanced except in the case of MG which was
isolated only from the beginning stage of infection. No viral agents or
e .
chlamydia could be isolated through embryonated egg inoculation. The
findings of the present study suggest that MG could be the primary agent
leading to conjunctivitis while other eubacterial and fungal isolates could be
secondary invaders complicating the condition. The antibiogram of the
eubacterial isolates suggest that proper treatment with antibiotics like
ciproflaxacin/gentamycin at the beginning stage of infection could prevent
secondary invaders from complicating the condition.
