Occurrence of necrotising enteritis in pigs

This study was carried out at a private farm near Jaipur, where morbidity and morality recorded as 10.6% and 14%, respectively, in the affected flock. History, clinical signs of the disease, gross lesions like fibrinonecrotic enteritis and microscopically necrotic ulcer with neutrophilic and mononuclear cells infiltration in mucosa as well as submucosa formed the basis the presumptive diagnosis of Clostridium perfringens enteritis. Confirmation was based on the isolation of bacteria on blood agar showing haemolysis around the bacterial colonies. On Gram's staining there was presence of short, bulging Gram-positive rods with subterminal spores. Lecithinase activity in egg yolk agar and growth in microaerophilic condition were suggestive for Clostridium perfringens infection. Brown and Brenn staining of the tissue section also revealed large, thick Gram-positive bacilli with square ends and a few subterminal spores.