A study on colstridium species in chickens and turkeys with special reference to the efficacy of elisa foe detection of colstridium perfringns toxins

110 intestinal and liver samples from dead broiler chickens (4-8) weeks and dead adult turkeys were obtained from the diagnostic laboratory of poultry at the Animal Health Research Institute, Dokki, Giza and from private farms. C. perfringens, the most prevalent clostridium species, was isolated from 34 samples ( 75.55%) of chicken and 7 samples (70%) of turkeys, Typing of C. perfringens isolates revealed that type A was the most prevalent type followed by type D with incidences of (44.11 and 29.41) respectively in chicken and ( 71.4 and 28.5 ) respectively in turkeys. The in vitro sensitivty test indicated that enrofloxacin, penicillin G. chloramphenicol and erythromycin were highly effective against these clostridium isolates. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used in typing of C. perfringens toxins with neutralization test in mice. Results showed that (ELISA) can capture alpha and epsilon toxin from intestinal contents of chicken and turkeys. The ELISA gave excellent agreement with mouse protection test. Furthermore, ELISA was sensitive and qualitative, it allowed the differential diagnosis of C. perfringens types A,B,C and D enterotoxaemia from samples of intestinal contents.