Isolation of Aeromonas hydrophila in a case of wound infection in cattle in Nigeria

Abstract

A three and a half year old N'dama cow weighing about 150kg was rescued from a steel jaw trap during grazing the previous day and presented at the Teaching and Research Farm Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria with a fresh, deep wound. The animal was treated but there were no satisfactory response to Penicillin/streptomycin intramuscular injection at 10,0001U/kg for seven days and also i/m 20% Oxytetracycline injection at 20mg/kg repeated after 48 hours. A loopful of pus samples aseptically taken from the wound were streaked on blood agar base enriched with 7% horse blood (Oxoid, UK) using the quadrant streaking method and incubated aerobically at 37°C for 24-48 hours. Aeromonas hydrophila was isolated which was resistant to the commonly used antibiotics on the farm. Following the results obtained from the sensitivity test, the animal was placed on Enrofloxacin for seven days, the swelling regressed, no pus was expressed from the wound site and no pain was elicited from the joint on application of pressure by the 8^th day Aeromonas hydrophila is pathogenic to man; hence care should be taken in handling of animal traps.