Abstract

Fahmy Hossam*, Helmy Saleh, Zazou Makhioun

Clostridia are commonly found in the environment, occurring in soil, sewage and water, as well as in the intestines of both man and animals. Members of the genus Clostridium are widely recognized as enteric pathogens for man, domestic animals and wildlife (Songer, 1996). Clostridium perfringens, a part of normal gut flora, is commonly involved in diseases in most domestic animals and some wildlife, including horses, poultry, birds, rabbits, sheep, goats, cattle, mink, ostrich, dogs and cats (Nillo, 1993). Necrotic entritis, an important sporadic disease of broiler chicken, was first reported by Parish (1961) to be caused mainly by C. perfringens