Serotypes of Pasteurella haemolytica from pneumonic lungs of sheep in northern Nigeria

The capsular serotypes of Pasteurella haemolytica (Ph) isolates from pneumonic lungs of slaughtered sheep were determined. A total of 1335 sheep pneumonic lung samples were collected at slaughter and investigated bacteriologically for P. haemolytica isolates. The rapid plate agglutination test was used for serotyping 338 isolates of the P. haemolytica recovered from 25.3% of the total pneumonic lung samples. The study showed the presence of eight established P. haemolytica serotypes, and their relative frequencies of isolation were: A1 (5.3%), A2 (36.1%), A6 (12.1%), A7 (5.9%), A8 (3.6%), A9 (1.8%), T10 (0.3%), and A11 (13.6%), with 21.3% representing untypable P. haemolytica strains. The most frequently recovered serotype was A2. The identification of P. haemolytica by serotype, is invaluable as it underpins the formulation of an effective bacterin-based vaccine cocktail for sheep in the target area. © 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved