Isolation of Clostridium perfringens type A from the abomasum of three lambs with abomasitis

In March 2020, three 5-15 day old mixed breed lambs were referred to the University of Tehran Veterinary Hospital. The farmer complained of 20% mortality rate (42 heads) in 4-17 day old lambs of his flock that they were exclusively breastfed. In observation and clinical examination, recumbency, depression, weakness, 40 ° C temperature ,abomasal dilation with fluid, tachypnea, tachycardia and hyperemia of the mucosa were recorded. After clinical examination, the lambs were examined by hematology and then necropsied under sterile conditions. In hematologic examination, normocytic-normochromic anemia, leukopenia, lymphopenia, left shift, the presence of schistocytes, keratocytes, myelocytes and metamyelocytes were observed. In necropsy, there were abomasal petechiae hemorrhages, coffee grain-like blood masses in the contents of the abomasum and pale kidneys. The direct gram smear from the abomasum had a large number of positive gram rods. All organs were subjected to aerobic and anaerobic bacterial cultures. Clostridium perfringens type A and non-pathogenic E coli were isolated from the abomasum and intestine of patients. The highest antibiotic susceptibility of Clostridium perfringens A isolate was to ceftiofur and ceftriaxone antibiotics. This study showed that Clostridium perfringens A may be involved in the pathogenesis of abomasitis in lambs. . . . . . .