Prevalence of α, β and NetB toxin producing strains of Clostridium perfringens in broiler chickens in Haryana.

A total of 87 samples (40 samples from enteritis-affected birds and 47 samples were from healthy birds) of intestinal contents from commercial broiler chickens were processed for isolation of Clostridium perfringens. Of these, 32 (68.08%) samples from healthy birds and 34 (85%) samples from diseased birds yielded C. perfringens. Thirty C. perfringens isolates each from healthy birds and enteritis-affected birds were subjected to the PCR for the detection of α toxin (cpa), β-2 toxin (cpb2) and NetB (NetB) toxin gene using gene specific primers. Of the 30 isolates from healthy birds; 10, 2 and 7 isolates were positive for α toxin alone, β-2 toxin alone and both α and β toxins, respectively. In case of enteritis-affected birds, this number was 16, 2 and 10, respectively. None of the isolates was found positive for NetB toxin. The study indicates that α and β-2 toxin producing strains of C. perfringens are prevalent in broiler chickens in Haryana.