Clostridium chauvoei is the etiologic agent of Black quarter, a high mortality rate disease affecting mainly young cattle and sheep. Carcasses of animals affected by the disease are the chief source of soil infection and considered as an ever-present threat to livestock health. The present study was designed with a view to isolate and identifies Clostridium chauvoei from field cases. For this purpose, a total of 4 clinically suspected samples were collected during the period from January 2013 to November 2013 and cultured anaerobically in the Blood agar media. Gram’s staining and hanging drop techniques were also performed. Biochemical properties of the isolates were studied and antibiotic sensitivity test was also performed. In Gram’s staining technique, all isolates showed numerous short, thick, straight, round-ended, gram positive rod occurs singly or in short chains. The spores of the organism were elongated, oval, sub terminal or terminal and wider than the cell, giving a typical pear-shaped appearance. All the Clostridium chauvoei isolates fermented dextrose, maltose, lactose and sucrose and produce acid and gas. In case of mannitol production of acid and gas was absent. Catalase, oxidase, MR, VP and Indole tests were negative. All isolates were resistant to oxytetracycline, amoxicillin and ciprofloxacin, sensitive to penicillin and gentamicin and intermediate to neomycin. Penicillin or gentamicin can be a suitable drug of choice for the effective treatment of black quarter in cattle of Bangladesh.
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