Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis that normally affects animals, especially ruminants (such as cattle, goats, sheep, and horses) and humans. This study was planned to characterize the morphology of anthrax vaccine bacteria by using Gram’s stain, polychrome methylene blue stain, culture on nutrient agar and nutrient broth media and to determine the immunological status of this vaccine by indirect ELISA and slide agglutination test in cattle. Antibiotic sensitivity test of vaccine strain of bacteria was also done. This study provided evidence that vaccine strain of Bacillus anthracis was gram-positive rod-shaped bacteria appeared as single to short-chained bacilli with blunted ends. Serum from anthrax vaccinated cattle agglutinated anthrax antigen on Day 30 (+++ within 5 min and ++ within 7 min at 1:100 dilution of test sera) and Day 90 (+++ within 5 min at 1:100 dilution of test sera) of post immunization. Immunization of cattle with anthrax vaccine generated high level of anti-anthrax IgG antibody response at Day 30 (0.789}0.014) of post immunization and reached its peak at Day 90 (0.991}0.047). This study also provided evidence that anthrax vaccine bacteria were sensitive to penicillin, streptomycin, amoxicillin and kenamycin. It may be recommended that the anthrax vaccine currently in use in Bangladesh is proved to be effective in term of morphology of Bacillus antharis and raising anti anthrax IgG antibody response in cattle with no side effect. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjvm.v11i1.17732 Bangl. J. Vet. Med. (2013). 11 (1): 43-49

Anthrax is caused by Bacillus anthracis bacterium and an acute infectious febrile septicemic disease of all warm-blooded animals including human. It is a disease of major economic importance in ruminant specially in goat characterized principally by a rapid fatal course followed by sudden death. The present investigation was under taken to determine the biochemical characterization of anthrax spore vaccine bacteria and to determine the immunological response in goat after anthrax vaccination. Anthrax vaccine was collected from local government veterinary hospital, Mymensingh which was prepared by LRI. The goats were selected from different regions of Bangladesh. The used methods were culture of vaccine bacterial sediment in different media, staining of bacteria with Gram's stain, and sugar fermentation tests for biochemical characterization of anthrax vaccine bacteria. Slide agglutination test and indirect ELISA tests were performed for immunological response after vaccination. Morphologically anthrax vaccine bacteria was gram positive rod shaped or short chain in anthrax vaccine sediment, culture in nutrient agar and nutrient broth. The anthrax vaccine bacteria fermented three sugars (dextrose, maltose and sucrose) and produced only acid but did not ferment two sugars (lactose and mannitol).

The foremost important goal of the present study was to investigate the bacteriological and pathological conditions in lungs of goats slaughtered in four different slaughter houses/places of Mymensingh Sadar, Mymensingh and in addition to it, antibiotic sensitivity test of commonly used antibiotics in Veterinary practices were performed on isolated bacteria. A total of 75 lungs of slaughtered goats were examined individually and out of which 20 affected lungs were collected for histopathology and bacterial isolation respectively from Mymensingh Sadar, Mymensingh in Bangladesh, during the period from January to May 2013.The lung lesions was grossly recorded 40% in goats (30 out of 75 lungs examined). Grossly, the lung lesions were categorized into (a) hemorrhages 35% (b) congestion 25% (c) hemorrhage and congestion 15% (d) emphysematous lung 15% and (e) hepatization in lung10%. In histopathology, lung lesions were categorized into (a) bronchopneumonia 30%, (b) pneumonia 25% (c) hemorrhagic pneumonia 20% (d) emphysema 15%, (e) purulent pneumonia 10%. Pasteurella sp. (15%) was isolated from the lung lesions of hemorrhagic pneumonia, E. coli. (25%) from bronchopneumonia and Staphylococcus sp. (40%) from purulent pneumonia, focal pneumonia and emphysema, and mixed infection (Staphylococcus sp. and E. coli) 20%. Finally antibiotics sensitivity test was performed on isolated bacteria to which ciprofloxacin was more powerful than others (penicillin, amoxicillin, streptomycin, nalidixic acid and kanamycin) tested and the second one was oxytetracyclin.

This study was designed to know the effect of protein rich diet (50% fish meal) on the experimental pathology of necrotic enteritis in broilers. The Clostridium (Cl.) perfringens was obtained from the Department of Pathology, Bangladesh Agricultural University. Reconfirmation and recharacterization of Cl. perfringens were performed by culture, microscopic examination, staining and biochemical tests. The experimental pathologic studies were performed with supplementation of protein rich diet and challenged with Cl. perfringens in broilers. The dose of the inoculum for experimental infection with Cl. perfringens was 1x108 CFU/2.5ml. Fifteen birds of 21 days old were divided into 3 (A, B and C) groups each containing 5 birds. Birds of group A were fed with 50% fish meal at a rate of 500gm /kg of feed from day 21 to day 34 and challenged from day 28 to day 32 with 1x108 CFU/2.5ml. Birds of group B were fed with normal feed and challenged on day 28 for consecutive five days. Group C was kept as control with commercial normal pellet without Cl. perfringens. Birds of all groups were observed up to 34 days of age for clinical signs. Eighty percent (4/5) of the birds of group A developed moderate clinical signs like diarrhoea, ruffled feather and less feed intake whereas 40% (2/5) birds of group B developed same clinical signs like group A but in mild form. There was no mortality in any groups. All the birds were sacrificed at Day 35. Severe necrosis and hemorrhage in intestine, enlarged liver and hemorrhage in the base of heart were noted in the birds of group A. On an average 2-5 bacteria were found in impression smear of intestines in higher magnification (100x), and anaerobic bacteria counted from intestinal content was 1.51x107CFU/ml. In histopathology, necrosis and reactive cells were found in liver, heart, lung and sloughing off intestinal epithelium was also found in intestines. On the other hand similar lesions like group A were observed in the birds of group B but in moderate form and no bacteria was found in impression smears of intestines. Anaerobic bacteria counted from intestinal content of this group was 1.1x107CFU/ml. In histopathology necrosis, reactive cells were found but less than group A. The birds of group C were normal in all parameters. However, anaerobic bacteria count from the intestinal content was 0.8x107CFU/ml. From this study, it may be concluded that protein rich diet is a predisposing factor for necrotic enteritis in broilers. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjvm.v11i1.17729 Bangl. J. Vet. Med. (2013). 11 (1): 21-29