الفهرس 
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Abstract
Forty five freshly dead and/ or diseased young rabbits, with apparent signs of mucoid enteropathy were collected from private farms suffered from rabbit enteritis, at different localities at Sharkia and Dakahlia governorates. The collected rabbits were subjected to clinical and/ or postmortem examination at the Department of Avian and Rabbit Medicine, Faculty of Vet. Med. Zagazig University.Bacterial isolation was carried out. The incidence of bacterial isolates were Clostridial isolates (73.3%), E.coli (55.5%), Klebsiella (31.11%) and Citrobacter (17.8%). Meanwhile protozoal investigation revealed mixed infestation with bacterial infections. Protozoal percentages was nematodes, caecal coccidiosis and hepatic coccidioses in an incidence (60%), (42.2%) and (4.4%), respectively. C.perfringens, Klebsiella and Citrobacter were commonly isolated from rabbits at age of 2-3 months- old with an incidence percentage 78.4%, 32.4%, and 18.9%, respectively, meanwhile, E.coli (65.7%) was commonly isolated from rabbit, at age of 1-2 months- old.The bacterial isolates were biochemically identified as 66 E.coli, 33 C.perfringens, 25 Klebsiella and 23 Citrobacter species isolates. With an incidence of (25.88%), (73.3%), (9.8%), and (9.0%) respectively. Thirteen E.coli isolates were serotyped into five E.coli O44-k74, eight E.coli O158-k- and twenty five untyped serotypes with an incidence percentage, (13.2%), (21.0%) and (65.7%) respectively.Typing of C.perfringens isolates was performed using confidential PCR then multiplex PCR. E ight isolates had alpha toxin genes only and identified as C.perfringens type A (100%) and two of them were confirmed by multiplex PCR. Experimental infection of 4-6 weeks-old and 8-10 weeks-old rabbits with E.coli O44-k74 and E.coli O158-k- via oral route with a dose of 1.3x107 CFU and 2x108 CFU respectively, the mortality rate 12.5% in both ages infected with E.coli O44-k74, and 12.5% in 4-6 weeks-old rabbits infected with E.coli O158-k- Meanwhile, rabbits of 8-10 weeks-old, the mortality rate was zero.
The mortality rate of rabbits infected with C.perfringens type A, with a dose of 1x109 CFU was 25% in both ages. On the other hand, The mortality rate of rabbits with mixed infection of C.perfringens type A, and E.coli O44-k74- with a dose of 1x109 CFU and 1.3x107 CFU respectively, was 37.5% in 8-10 weeks-old rabbits and 25% in 4-6 weeks old. While, the mortality rate of rabbits infected with C.perfringens type A, and E.coli O158-k- with a dose of 1x109 CFU and 2x108 CFU respectively was 12.5% in both ages.
The sensitivity of all infected organisms to different antibiotic were done and the most sensitive antibiotic for all microorganisms isolated was Enrofloxacin, that we used to treat the infected rabbits at a dose 15mg/kg for two successive days and metronidazole in a dose of 40 mg/kg two time a day via oral route, it lead to controlling the symptoms of affected rabbits and recovery of experimentally infected rabbits.
Statistical analysis of feed intake and daily body weigh gain during experimental infection, showed significant effect of both microorganisms E.coli O44-k74 and C.perfringens type A in decreasing feed intake and daily body weigh gain.