STUDIES INTO CL-PERFRINGENS TYPE-A ENTERO TOXEMIA OF CHICKEN .2. PATHOMORPHOLOGICAL AND BACTERIOLOGICAL FINDINGS AFTER EXPERIMENTAL INTRADUODENAL CL-PERFRINGENS TYPE-A INOCULATION (SPORES, TOXIN AND GERMS)

Chickens were inoculated intraduodenally with germs of Cl.perfringens Type A in 6 attempts (n = 146), spores (n = 6) and Cl.perfringens Type A toxin (n = 6). Birds, which had died spontanly or had been killed r espectly were examined pathomorphologically and bacteriologically. The pathological-anatomical observations included: prestatic hyperemia of the parenchymatous organs; heavy injection of the mesenteric vessles: watery contents of the small intestine mixed with gas bubbles; lungs oedema; swollen and pale kidneys. Necrosis or hemorrhage of the intest inal mucous membranes wasn't observed. Histological investigations lea d to the following findings: Colonisation and multiplication of Cl.per fringens in the intestinal lumen without adhesion onto the intestinal mucous membrane, cellular infiltration of the propria mucosae, intraep ithelial accumulation of heterophiles, crypt abscesses of various degr ee; and occasionally desquamation of the epithel cells. The electron m icroscopical alterations concerned cristolyse of the mitochondria, des tructions of the microvilli border, disolving of the terminal web, and detachment of isolated enterocyte groups. Cl.perfringens was isolated in 95.4% of the intestine samples and 1.2% from the liver samples.