Eye infections in farmed Ostriches(Struthio cuniclus) oil selected farms in Gaborone and Lobatsc districts, Botswana

Abstract

A study to investigate an outbreak of keratoconjunctivitis among grower ostriches (Struthio camclus) was undertaken on two farms in Lobatsc and Gaborone districts, Botswana. Thirty ostriches (34.1%) showed signs of unilateral keratoconjunctivitis and yielded 8 different species of bacteria. A preponderance of non-conventional causal species of bacteria was recovered from this condition. The bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus accounted for 24.1% of the total number of isolates followed by Aeromonas hydrophila and Staph, hyicus, each contributing 12. 1 %. Branhamella species, the conventional causal bacterium of ophthalmia or keratitis in the mammalian species accounted for only 3.4%. The left eye was more commonly affected than the right. Most of the cases were in September when it was dusty and windy. Most bacterial isolates were responsive to tetracycline both in vitro using antimicrobial impregnated discs and also in vivo'subsequent to therapeutic intervention. Administration of an oil based topical preparation of tetracycline resulted in amelioration of clinical signs of keratoconjunctivitis among affected ostriches.