Spore-forming bacteria are a group of bacteria can form spore and they grow aerobically and anaerobically as Bacilli and Clostridia spp. This group of bacteria has public health hazards and economic loss significance. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of spore-forming bacteria isolated from marketable milk and some dairy products as pasteurized milk, UHT milk, milk powder, and baby food (30 samples of each). The samples were purchased randomly from different dairy shops, supermarkets, and pharmacies in Assiut Governorate, Egypt. Bacillus cereus was detected in 23.33, 13.33, 6.66, 13.33, and 10% from marketable milk, pasteurized milk, UHT milk, milk powder, and baby food, respectively. While, Clostridium perfringens was recovered in 20, 6.66, 0, 3.33 and 0%, respectively. This study concluded that there is a need for hygienic measures must be applied in the milk and dairy products production and manufacture to minimize the possibility of entering the spore-forming bacteria in these products.

In this study multiplex PCR was used for typing of Clostridium perfringens isolates from soil, clinically healthy and diseased sheep. Clostridium perfringens was isolated from 41 out of 100 soil samples, 12 out of 100 clinically healthy sheep and 118 out of 200 sheep with enterotoxaemia signs. Genotyping of 41 isolates from soil indicated that 29 (70.73%) were type A, 3 (7.31%) were type B and 9 (21.95%) were type D. Of 12 isolates from clinically healthy sheep 6 (50%) were type A and 6(50%) were type D. Of 118 isolates from diseased sheep 42 (35.59%) were type A, 22 (18.64%) were type B and 54 (45.76%) were type D. This result indicates that Clostridium perfringens type A, B and D are the main types causing enterotoxaemia in sheep in Egypt and Clostridium perfringens type A must be included in any vaccine programme to ensure optimum protection.

A serious infection in avian species can be caused by Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens). Because of the harmful consequences that antibiotics have on public health, reducing their usage in the animal industry is a major global concern. As an alternative to antibiotics, nanoparticles (NPs) have been used more and more recently to target bacteria. Zinc oxide (ZnO), one of these NPs, exhibited antibacterial activity even at low concentrations. Consequently, at 14 days, 75-day-old Cobb broiler chicks were separated into 5 equal groups (15 birds each divided into triplicate, 5 bird per replicate). The groups were calssified as G1, G2, G3, G4 & G5. G1 was infected with C. perfringens type A; G2 was infected & given zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZONPs); G3 was infected with C. perfringens & given doxycycline as an antibiotic; G4 received ZONPs continuously for 35 days; & G5 was the negative control. For two successive days, 4×108 colony forming units (CFU) of C. perfringens type A/mL/bird were given orally to birds in infected groups. ZONPs in the treatment groups received a total dose of 150 µg/bird. Bird performance is measured for 35 days, & data is gathered on body weight (BW), feed conversion (FC), feed conversion rate (FCR), clinical signs score, & mortalities. Moreover, immune organ indices & the microbial loads in the caecum & intestine were assessed. Remarkably, BW improvements (P < 0.05) were noted in ZONPs treated group & ZONPs / C. perfringens infected group, in contrast to those in G1. Compared to G1, treatment with ZONPs lowered the colonization of C. perfringens in the caeca & intestine, lessened the severity of clinical symptoms, & decreased mortality. Thymus, bursa, & spleen relative weights varied considerably (P < 0.05) between treatment groups. When ZONPs were administered alone or in conjunction with infection, the spleen’s relative weight was considerably (P < 0.05) larger in treated birds than in control & antibiotic-treated birds. In conclusion, ZONPs positively affect the BW & FCR, improve the relative weight of immune organs, & can decrease the C. perfringens count in the intestine, positively impacting performance, general health, & gut health integrity. However, ZONPs also reduce the population of gut microbes. On the other hand, birds that received antibiotic treatment showed adverse effects on a few metrics. Therefore, more investigation into the use of ZONPs in broiler diets and their safety for the health of humans and avian species is still advised.

Fish is one of the most widely advertised foods, and Egypt is now recognized as a significant global fish producer. Human and animal intestinal illnesses and significant histotoxic illnesses are caused by foodborne microorganisms as Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens). This study was directed to monitor the prevalence, antibiotic susceptibility testing, detection of some virulence and antibiotic resistance genes of multidrug-resistant C. perfringens recovered from fish. A total of 300 samples were collected from gills and intestine of Catfish, Tilapia and Dennis.  Bacteriological examination was conducted, the obtained C. perfringens strains were tested for antibiogram, PCR screening of virulence and antibiotic resistance genes. The investigated samples showed C. perfringens prevalence of 48.3%. C. perfringens isolates were resistant to several antibiotics as clindamycin (90%), cefprozil (80%), novobiocin (80%), aztreonam (80%) and erythromycin (80%). While, isolates were sensitive to nalidixic acid (90%), ofloxacin (90%), chloramphenicol (90%) and rifampicin (80%). Multidrug-resistant (MDR) C. perfringens was detected in 80% of tested strains. PCR proved that the obtained C. perfringens strains were carrying the virulence genes: cpa, cpb and cpe in a prevalence of 60%, 40% and 10%, respectively. As well, bla and ermB antibiotic resistance genes were detected in C. perfringens strains in a prevalence of 100% for both genes. In conclusion, C. perfringens isolated from fish was multidrug- resistant (MDR) bacteria and was harbored cpa, cpb and cpe virulence genes and bla and ermB antibiotic resistance genes. The development of MDR C. perfringens is conceived as a public health threat.

This work compared the antibacterial activity and in vivo effects of nitazoxanide and tylosin against infected broilers with antibiotic resistant Clostridium perfringens field strain to control necrotic enteritis disease. Both in vitro and in vivo assessment studies were used. Firstly, C. perfringens was isolated with a total rate of 46% from liver and intestine samples of diseased broilers. By using PCR molecular typing all tested isolates were type A (produced only alpha-toxin (cpa virulence gene)) and included Bla and tetK (resistant genes). Using antibiotic sensitivity test they showed multi-drugs resistance against amoxiclave, tetracycline, gentamicin, clindamycin, sulphamethoxazole-trimethoprim and cefoxitin. Minimal inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (μg/ml) were 0.4 and 12 for nitazoxanide and 0.7 and 49 for tylosin respectively. Then, a total of 90 one-day-old-chicks were divided into 6 groups; G1: negative-control, G2: infected-control, G3: non-infected (nitazoxanide 15.4 mg/kg body weight), G4: non-infected (tylosin 20 mg/kg body weight), G5: infected-nitazoxanide (15.4 mg/kg), and G6: infected-tylosin (20 mg/kg). Treatments lasted for 5 days in drinking water. No adverse effects on liver or kidney parameters were recorded in non-infected treated groups. Both treatments overcome the infection signs, C. perfringens count and revealed a significant improvement in most of inflammatory and biochemical parameters to their normal levels especially, G5 reflected a significant increase in total protein, albumin, globulin while reduced alanine and aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase activities, C-reactive protein, uric acid, and creatinine levels than G2. Finally, nitazoxanide revealed a significant anti-clostridial activity as tylosin for the control of necrotic enteritis in broilers.