Abstract:
Investigation was done to determine the presence of Pasteurella multocida and related species in
free ranging chickens and ducks, dogs, cats and pigs in three climatic zones (cool, warm and hot) of
rural Morogoro, Tanzania. A total of 153 isolates of P. multocida ssp. multocida and related species
were obtained by direct culture on blood agar, selective medium and mouse inoculation. P.
multocida ssp. multocida was isolated from 0.7% of chickens and 7% of ducks. In dogs and cats, P.
multocida ssp. multocida was isolated from 1 and 68%, respectively. One isolate of Pasteurella
gallinarum was isolated from a duck. Other species obtained were; P. multocida ssp. septica,
Pasteurella stomatis and taxon 16 from dogs and cats, while Pasteurella dagmatis and Pasteurella
canis were found in dogs only. Prevalence of P. multocida ssp. multocida was signi®cantly higher
(P < 0:01) in ducks of the warm zone (22%) than in ducks of other zones (0%). No signi®cant
difference was observed between the prevalence of P. multocida ssp. multocida in chickens of the
warm zone (2%) and chickens of the cool and hot zones (0%). Extended phenotypic
characterization revealed phenotypic similarities between two isolates from chickens and the duck
strains. Mouse inoculation appeared to be more sensitive in detecting P. multocida ssp. multocida
than blood agar and selective medium. Direct culture on blood agar recovered most of the isolates
from dogs. This study has demonstrated for the ®rst time the presence of P. multocida and related
species in the village free ranging chickens, ducks, dogs and cats in Tanzania. Other non-classi®ed
Pasteurella spp. were also observed in the study, but further characterization is required before the
®nal classi®cation can be made. This paper reports for the ®rst time the isolation of unclassi®ed
Pasteurella from dogs and cats in Africa. The results implies that fowl cholera might be occurring
