Sugun MY, Kwaga JKP, Kazeem HM, Ibrahim NDG and Turaki AU
The prevalence of P. multocida, an aetiologic agent of bovine haemorrhagic septicaemia was studied using a purposive sampling technique in north central Nigeria. A total of 18 positive isolates of P. multocida were obtained from 175 lungs, liver, and spleen samples examined, giving an isolation rate of 10.3%. Nineteen isolates were confirmed as P. multocida by Microbact GNB 24E supplied software version MicrobactTM 200 identification package V2.03 (WindowsTM) and by species specific PCR. By the software interpretations package the percentage probabilities of 12 isolates were above 75% and 7 others were below 75%. The study confirmed the presence of the African capsular strain E (511 bp) and a unique capsular F type. The P. multocida strains were somatically typed as: P. multocida E: 3, 4 and P. multocida E: 2, 5, but most were untypeable. Also of interest is capsular group F somatically untypeable strain being identified for the first time from calves in Nigeria. These strains have not previously been reported in Nigeria or within the West African sub-region. These could redefine the vaccine strategy as the current vaccine used in Nigeria contain P. multocida B: 3,4 and E: 2. However more work needs to be carried out in other parts of the country to gather more relevant information with regards to capsular and somatic types.