Aim: To know the prevalence of antibiotic
resistant Escherichia coli among dead
and/or diarrhoic pigeons in and around greater
Guwahati.
Materials and Methods: Samples
were cultured from dead and/or diarrhoic pigeons
and identification was done by standard methods.
The sensitivity of the isolated E. coli
strains to 15 antibiotics of human and veterinary
use was also determined. Organs from those dead
birds from which E. coli were recovered
were processed according to the routine procedure
for histopathological studies.
Results: Out
of 150 pigeons subjected to microbiological
investigation, 91(60.67 %) samples were found
positive for E. coli. The most frequently
occurring serotypes were O157 (9.89%), followed by
O68, O121 (7.69%), O9, O75, O131 (5.49%), O2, O13,
O22 (3.30%). Antibiogram investigation of the
isolates revealed that 91isolates (100%) exhibited
resistance against Ampicillin followed by Nitro-furantoin
(73.62%), Tetracycline (65.93 %), Oxytetracycline
(62.63 %) and Streptomycin (61.54). Gross changes
of some birds showed fibrinous pericarditis and
perihepatitis and coligranuloma in different
organs like liver and serosal surface of
intestine. Microscopically, severe congestion and
haemorrhages in different organs such as liver,
kidney, lung and intestine. In some cases thick
layer of fibrinous exudates with large number of
heterophills over the surface of liver and heart
with early degenerative changes as well as focal
necrosis.
Conclusion: The result of this
study suggests that antimicrobial-resistant
pathogenic E. coli is present in pigeons in
and around greater Guwahati. Surveillance programs
may be introduced to monitor antimicrobial
resistance of pathogenic E. coli in pigeons
in and around greater guwahati.
Keywords:
drug sensitivity, E. coli, histopathology,
pigeon
