Management of concurrent Coccidiosis and Staphylococcosis in 14- week-old Isa Brown pullets: A case report.

Abstract

This report investigated the outbreak of Coccidiosis in 14-week-old Isa Brown pullets. The farmer complained of high mortality in the farm and on the day of presentation picked thirty (30) dead birds. The mortality pattern for 3 days was (30, 20, and 30) which amounted to eighty (80) mortalities for the 3 days. Cumulative mortality from weeks 9 to 14 was 1200 (40%) in a flock of 3000 pullets. Clinical signs with gross pathological lesions include: pale comb, emaciated carcasses, pale shank, pale trachea, congested liver, congested and frothy lungs, pale spleen, and sloughing of the intestinal mucosa. Microscopic examination on a wet mount revealed Eimeria oocysts. Histological examination revealed different developmental stages of oocysts in the jejunum and the lung with congestion and widespread haemorrhages. The diagnosis of intestinal coccidiosi was made based on the mortality rate, necropsy and histopathological findings. The secondary bacterial infection was caused by Staphylococcus spp which was resistant to four antibiotics but susceptible to florum® (20% florfenicol) and Penstrep® (Penicillin +streptomycin). The apparent resistance of the Eimeria oocysts to Nutri-Amp 300® (300mg/g Amprolium) necessitated a change to sulfamore® (sulphadimidine 33.3%) injection for 2 days, followed by sulphamix® powder used for 5 days via drinking water which provided a better result.