Microbiological examination of the tracheal flushing sample and its clinical importance

Abstract

Nasal swalb and tracheal flushing samples were taken from 25 calves with clinical symptoms of pneumonia which have been admitted to the Clinic of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Selçuk for microbiological examination. While microbiological isolation from nasal swab could be performed in 2:2 of 25 calves and revealed a large population of normal flora, microbiological isolation from tracheal flushing samples could be performed in 15 of 25 ca'lves and obtained more pure culture; P. pneumonia (40%), Staph, aureus (20%), Klebsiella ssp. (13.(3%), Corynebacterium ssp. (6:6%), Shigella ssp. (6.6%), Ps. maltophila (6.6 %), Aspergillus ssp. (6:6%) (1). In 7 of 10 calves which microbiological isolation cauld not be performed from tracheal flushing samples various antibiotics had been injected farmerly. Linco-spectin and Gentamicin were found to be effective in 11 (47 %) and 9 (39 %) cases of the bacterial pneumonia of calves, respectively. One calf from which Aspergillus ssp. was isolated was treated with Thiabendazole. One calf could not be treated. Tulberculosis was diagnosed in the pathologic and bacteriologic examination in its autopsy. The other 3 calves were treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics. In conclusion, it was found that tracheal flushing sampling method could be used easily and safely in the diagnosis and treatment of infectious calf pneumonia.