ABSTRACT
The poultry sector is a vital part of agriculture, playing a significant role in providing animal protein and being susceptible to contamination by bacteria and fungi. Virulence is the capacity of a pathogen or microorganism to inflict damage on a host. Virulence factors determine how capable an organism is of causing harm. The objective of this study was to identify the virulence components of bacteria and fungi samples collected from poultry facilities in Benin City, Edo State. Biochemical tests and cultural characterization were utilized to confirm the fungal and bacterial isolates. The Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method was used to conduct an antibiotics susceptibility test following the guidelines of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). The antibiotics tested included pefloxacin, gentamicin, Ampiclox, zinnacef, Amoxicillin, Rocephin, Ciproflaxacin, Azithromycin, Levoflaxacin, and Erythromycin. The Bacillus species, Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus species, Micrococcus varians, and Lactobacillus species were the bacterial isolates that were identified. The fungal strains that were recognized included Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus nidulans, Stereum sanguinolentum, Aspergillus terreus, Rhizopus species, Cladosporium species, Fusarium species, and Aspergillus verrucosus. The bacterial and fungal isolates were then tested for their hemolysin, gelatinase, DNase, lipase productions, and temperature tolerance. The results revealed that all bacterial isolates were positive for hemolysin. All isolates, except micrococcus luteus, showed gelatinase production. Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus species tested positive for DNase. Among the fungal isolates, only Rhizopus species passed the temperature tolerance test. Aspergillus verrucosus and Fusarium species did not produce lipase. The presence of disease-causing bacteria and fungi in poultry houses indicates the need for vigilance against microbial contamination and implementation of hygiene measures.
