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Omphalitis is a major cause of increased first week-chick mortality. Omphalitis, navel-yolk sac infection, is a hatchery-born disease, and also known as 'mushy chick disease' or 'navel ill'. It is a common disease of chicks and poults, often artificially hatched chicks, causing high losses in the brooding period, as a bacterium penetrates the porous egg shell. As incubation conditions are suitable for bacterial growth and incubating eggs as well, various bacteria, such as E. coli, staphylococci, Proteus, Clostridium fecali and Pseudomonas may be involved in the yolk sac infection. The present study aimed to determine bacterial causes of omphalitis through isolation and identification of such pathogens. Therefore, samples from 216 yolk sacs were collected from chicks with unabsorbed yolk materials that could even smell putrid. Among those, 196 (90.7%) were positive; 135 (62.5%) harboured single bacterial strains and 61 (28.2%) had mixed infections. The most prevalent single bacterial isolates were E. coli (110 isolates) and P. aeruginosa (11 isolates). Meanwhile, the most predominant mixed bacterial strains were E. coli with Salmonella spp. (16 isolates; 7.4%) and E. coli with P. aeruginosa (13 isolates; 6%). Other mixed infections were found in low percentages. Most E. coli strains were Congo red-positive and non-haemolytic. Different E. coli serogroups were serologically identified including O27 (4 isolates; 20%), O157 (3isolates; 15%), O26 (3 isolates; 15%) and one isolate of each of the following; O78, O6, O125, O44, O15, O115, O25, O168, O112 and O63 (each of 5%). Different Salmonella serogroups were identified including S. cremieu (2 isolates) and one isolate of each of the following S.

This study was conducted to evaluate the attenuating ability of diclazuril treatment on Eimeria species mix oocyst during and after sporulation for protection of layer chicks against Eimeria infection. Field isolates of Eimeria oocysts were collected and propagated in chickens to obtain a continuous source of oocysts. The collected un sporulated oocysts divided into two parts: the first part treated by diclazuril 20% during sporulation for 48h, while, the second part subjected for sporulation firstly, then treated by diclazuril 20% for 48h. The treated oocysts used in immunization of layer chicks at 4 th day of age. Chicks were divided into 6 groups: two groups inoculated by 20% diclazuril treated oocysts. The third group immunized by commercial live vaccine (Coccivac D) and fourth group inoculated by un treated oocyst. Two control groups (control infected un immunized group and control un infected un immunized group). At 21 day of age, chicks were challenged by 7.5 x10 4 oocyst. The post immunization evaluation showed significant decrease in bloody diarrhea score, lesion score and oocyst shedding of diclazuril treated and commercial vaccine groups compared to the group inoculated by un treated oocyst. While the post challenge evaluation revealed a significant decrease in oocyst per gram (OPG) count, lesion value and bloody diarrhea score with improved weight gain in diclazuril treated groups compared to commercial vaccine group and control infected un immunized group. Also, diclazuril treatment showed excellent anticoccidial indices compared to commercial vaccine and un treated oocysts groups. The results of this study proved that diclazuril 20% concentration is effective in attenuation of Eimeria species oocyst and induced a significant protactive effect against challenge in layer chicks.

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This study was done to investigate the prevalence of the Enterobacteriaceae in chickens and eggs. Isolation of forty four different bacterial isolates belonging to Enterobacteriaceae from chicken egg samples, cloacal swabs and swabs from Hatcheries's floor, the isolates from commercial flock swabs were biochemically identified as E coli, P. mirabilis E Sakazakii and E .cloacae by incidence 22%, 55 %, 11% and 11 % respectively. The isolates from Layers and broilers breeder cloacal swabs were biochemically identified to be E. coli, P. mirabilis E. fergusonii and E .cloacae by incidence 20 %, 20 %, 20% and 40 % respectively. The isolates from commercial eggs were biochemically identified to be Pantoea Sp. , Kluyvera sp., E Sakazakii , E.aerogenes and E.harmanii by incidence 33.3% , 16.6% , 16.6% , 16.6% and 16.6 % respectively. The isolates from fertilized egg samples were biochemically identified as E Sakazakii , E. fergusonii , E.coli , E. Cloacae , Aeromonas ,S. Anatum and Prov. Alcolifaciens with a number of 1 ,