Detection and Quantification of Clostridium perfringens and Eimeria spp. in Poultry Dust Using Real-Time PCR Under Experimental and Field Conditions

Ahaduzzaman, Md; Keerqin, Chake; Kumar, Alip; Musigwa, Sosthene; Morgan, Natalie; Kheravii, Sarbast K; Sharpe, Sue; Williamson, Sarah; Wu, Shu-Biao; Walkden-Brown, Stephen W; Gerber, Priscilla F

doi:10.1637/aviandiseases-D-20-00084

Author(s)

Ahaduzzaman, Md

Keerqin, Chake

Kumar, Alip

Musigwa, Sosthene

Morgan, Natalie

Kheravii, Sarbast K

Sharpe, Sue

Williamson, Sarah

Wu, Shu-Biao

Walkden-Brown, Stephen W

Gerber, Priscilla F

Publication Date

2021-03

Abstract

Infection of poultry with Eimeria spp., the causative agent of coccidiosis, can predispose birds to necrotic enteritis(NE) caused by netB gene–positive strains of Clostridium perfringens. The detection of Eimeria spp., C. perfringens, and netB were examined in settled dust from broiler flocks under experimental and field conditions. Dust samples were collected from settle plates twice weekly from two experimental flocks inoculated with three species of pathogenic Eimeria in 9-day-old chicks, followed by netB gene–positive C. perfringens 5 days later to produce subclinical and clinical NE. A noninoculated flock was sampled weekly from day 0 and served as a control flock. An additional 227 dust samples from commercial broiler flocks were collected at the end-of-batch (6–7 wk of age; one scraped dust sample per flock). In the NE-subclinical and NE-clinical flocks, high levels of Eimeria spp. and C. perfringens were detected after inoculation followed by a gradual decline over time. In the control flock, C. perfringens and netB were detected at low levels. No significant effect of sampling location was evident on Eimeria spp., C. perfringens, and netB load within poultry houses. These results provide evidence that Eimeria spp., C. perfringens, and netB gene copies can be readily measured in poultry dust samples collected in settle plates and may provide an alternative sampling method for monitoring flock coccidiosis and NE status. Further studies are required to assess the utility for such a test in commercial flocks.

Citation

Avian Diseases, 65(1), p. 77-85

ISSN

1938-4351

0005-2086

Link

https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/30909

Language

en

Publisher

American Association of Avian Pathologists, Inc

Title

Detection and Quantification of Clostridium perfringens and Eimeria spp. in Poultry Dust Using Real-Time PCR Under Experimental and Field Conditions

Type of document

Journal Article

Entity Type

Publication

Author(s)	Ahaduzzaman, Md Keerqin, Chake Kumar, Alip Musigwa, Sosthene Morgan, Natalie Kheravii, Sarbast K Sharpe, Sue Williamson, Sarah Wu, Shu-Biao Walkden-Brown, Stephen W Gerber, Priscilla F
Publication Date	2021-03
Abstract	Infection of poultry with <i>Eimeria</i> spp., the causative agent of coccidiosis, can predispose birds to necrotic enteritis(NE) caused by <i>netB</i> gene–positive strains of <i>Clostridium perfringens</i>. The detection of <i>Eimeria</i> spp., <i>C. perfringens</i>, and <i>netB</i> were examined in settled dust from broiler flocks under experimental and field conditions. Dust samples were collected from settle plates twice weekly from two experimental flocks inoculated with three species of pathogenic <i>Eimeria</i> in 9-day-old chicks, followed by <i>netB</i> gene–positive <i>C. perfringens</i> 5 days later to produce subclinical and clinical NE. A noninoculated flock was sampled weekly from day 0 and served as a control flock. An additional 227 dust samples from commercial broiler flocks were collected at the end-of-batch (6–7 wk of age; one scraped dust sample per flock). In the NE-subclinical and NE-clinical flocks, high levels of <i>Eimeria</i> spp. and <i>C. perfringens</i> were detected after inoculation followed by a gradual decline over time. In the control flock, <i>C. perfringens</i> and <i>netB</i> were detected at low levels. No significant effect of sampling location was evident on <i>Eimeria</i> spp., <i>C. perfringens</i>, and <i>netB</i> load within poultry houses. These results provide evidence that <i>Eimeria</i> spp., <i>C. perfringens</i>, and <i>netB</i> gene copies can be readily measured in poultry dust samples collected in settle plates and may provide an alternative sampling method for monitoring flock coccidiosis and NE status. Further studies are required to assess the utility for such a test in commercial flocks.
Citation	Avian Diseases, 65(1), p. 77-85
ISSN	1938-4351 0005-2086
Link	https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/30909
Language	en
Publisher	American Association of Avian Pathologists, Inc
Title	Detection and Quantification of Clostridium perfringens and Eimeria spp. in Poultry Dust Using Real-Time PCR Under Experimental and Field Conditions
Type of document	Journal Article
Entity Type	Publication

Detection and Quantification of Clostridium perfringens and Eimeria spp. in Poultry Dust Using Real-Time PCR Under Experimental and Field Conditions

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