The small intestine of two rallid aquatic birds (Fulica atra Linnaeus, 1758 and Gallinula chloropus (Linnaeus, 1758) from Bahr Al-Najaf depression, southwest of Al-Najaf city, mid-Iraq), were infected with the nematode Amidostomum acutum Seurat, 1918 with a prevalence of 25% and 50%, respectively, and a mean intensity of 24.5 and 30, respectively. The infected birds showed several gross pathological and microscopic lesions in their small intestine due to the infection with this nematode. The gross lesions included hypertrophy in the anterior part of the duodenum and small rough nodules on the small intestine wall. Microscopic lesions included necrosis and shortening of villi with their fullness with inflammatory cells, degeneration of villi, and an increased number of acini at the base of the intestinal villi.

One hundred and sixty nine Escherichia (E.) coli strains isolated from fecal samples of aquatic birds in Geumho river basin and Dalseong park were tested by agar dilution method to determine their susceptibility patterns to 14 antimicrobial agents. The distribution of tetracycline resistance determinants (tetA, tetB, tetC, tetD and tetE) were also examined by PCR in 76 tetracycline-resistant (TC∨r) E. coli isolated. The high resistance was observed in tetracycline, cephalothin and ampicillin (45.0~36.7%). Resistance of E. coli isolates derived from Dalseong park to tetracycline, cephalothin, ampicillin and streptomycin (65.7~44.8%) were significantly higher than those isolated from Geumho river basin (31.4~14.7%). About seventy percent (70.4%) of the strains isolated were resistant to one or more drugs tested. Thirty (39.5%) of 76 TC∨r E. coli isolates which were resistant to one or more drugs transferred all or a part of their resistance patterns to the recipient strain of E. coli J53 by conjugation. All of TC∨r E. coli isolates contained at least one or more of 5 tet genes examined. The most common genes found in these isolates were tetA (60.6%) and followed by tetB (7.9%) and tetC (1.3%). However, tetD and tetD and tetE were ant found in any of the isolates tested. Twenty one (27.6%) of TC∨r E. coli isolates had two determinants, tetA/tetB (20 strains), tetA/tetC (1 strain). And two strains (2.6%) contained three determinants (tetA/tetB/tetC).