Microbiological studies on genital infections in slaughtered ewes from tropical arid zone of Nigeria

Abstract

An abattoir survey was undertaken to investigate genital bacterial infections of ewes in tropical arid zone of Nigeria. Vaginal and uterine samples were collected and cultured using standard bacteriological techniques. The results of the study showed that the isolates were Escherichia coli (32%), Staphylococcus spp (26%), Klebsiella spp (16%), Pseudomonas (15%) and Proteus (11%); wherein E coli and S aureus were the most common bacterial isolates. The bacterial population in the vagina (64%) was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that in the uterus (34%). The antibiotic susceptibility test revealed that E. coli was highly susceptible (100%) to Amoxycillin, Ampicillin, Amoxycillin-clavulanate and Pefloxacin, whereas low susceptibility was observed against Ciprofloxacin and Ofloxacin (10 and 22% respectively). S. aureus showed 100% susceptibility to Amoxycillin-clavulanate, Gentamicin, Nalidixic acid and Pefloxacin, whereas susceptibility against Streptomycin, Amoxycillin, Ciprofloxacin and Ofloxacin was in declining order (46, 33, 30 and 20% respectively). The potentials of these microbes for producing pathogenicity in genital tract of ewes is likely to be high in Nigeria. Therapeutic use of these antimicrobial agents will help to reduce infectious reproductive diseases in ewes, though in-vivo trials are further required for establishing their efficacy in controlling genital infections in ruminants.

Keywords: Antimicrobial susceptibility, Ewes, E. coli, S. aureus, Genital infections