Gut microfl0ra and its role in aggravation of diarrhoea and tissue damage in goats inffected with coccidia [Sudan]

In this study 41 faecal samples were collected randomly in a survey of apparently healthy goats from different breeds, localities, ages and sex in Khartoum State and subjected to bacteriological examination to identify normal aerobic gut flora. Ninety seven isolates were recovered. They consisted of 42 (43.3) Gram negative and 55 (56.7) Gram positive bacteria. Four groups of goat kids 3-5 months old were used in the experiment. Group A consisted of four kids infected with 1.2 x (ten to power six) sporulated oocyst of five Eimeria spp. viz. E. parva. Two groups (B and C) each consisted of six kids were infected with 1 x (ten to power six) sporulated oocysts of the same Eimeria spp. and each group was subdivided into two subgroups (B1 and B2 for B group and C1 and C2 for C group). The fourth group is the control uninfected. Groups B1 and C1 treated with oxytetracycline 5 and Amprolium, respectively, 6 days post infection (pi). Group B2 and C2 were treated with oxytetracycline 5 and Amprolium respectively after the start of diarrhoea (11 days pi). In the experimental infecttion about 1277 isolates were recovered from the faecal samples. Seventy seven isolates (60.62) were Gram positive and 50 (39.38) were Gram negative bacteria. The organisms isolated were staphylococcus spp. streptococcus spp., Micrococcus spp., Bacillus spp., Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocoliticia, Morganella tarda, Enterobacter spp., Alcaligenes faecalis and Chromobacterium lividum. General observations indicated thatthere were change s in dominant species of microflora during coccidiosis, mainly Gram's negative (E.coli) were found after onset of diarrhoea and species of Gram's positive bacteria detected were decreased. In group A 86 isolates were recovered of which 52.33 were Gram's positive (mainly Bacillus spp. 51.11) and 47.67 were Gram's negative (mainly E.coli 25.05). In the treated groups, 41 isolates were recovered before the start of treatment (46.34 as Gram positive and 55.66 as Gram negative). Twenty seven isolates (48.15 as Gram positive and 51.85 as Gram negative) were recovered after treatment. Animals in group A developed the disease which terminated fatally 8 to 14 days after the appearance of symptoms till sacrificed at day 10 (pi). Animals in group C2 died 14 to 15 days (pi) and before completing the course of treatment, while kids in group B2 were alive till sacrificed after completing the course treatment. Clinical signs observed were dullness, loss of appetite, general weakness and diarrhoea. Haematological parameters in addition to body weights were affected. Macroscopic examination of the carcasses revealed emaciation and dehydration. Intestinal mucosa were haemorrhagic and intestinal contents were watery. Some mesenteric lymph nodes were enlarged and congested. Histopathological sections showed intestinal mucosal cells of the small intestine which were destroyed and colonized by different developmental stages of coccidia. Hypertrophy and hyperplasia of glandular epithelium were also observed, in addition to haemorrhage, cogestion and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Inlarge intestine haemorrhage, congestion and cellular infiltration were seen and some sections showed different coccidial stages. The mesenteric lymph nodes were haemorrhagic and congested beside depletion of lymphocytes and presence of different sizes of schizonts. Haemorrhage and congestion were seen in sections of lung, kidney, liver and spleen. Antibiotic sensitivity tests on 3 selected isolates of E. coli showed that the organism was highly sensitive to Nitrofurantoin, Chloramphenicol, and moderately sensitive to Gentamicin, Kanamycin, Nalidixic acid and Ttetracycline. The organism was found less sensitive to Streptomycin, Ampicillin and completely resistant to Penicillin G