ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF GRAM POSITIVE BACTERIA FROM PET RABBIT FAECES

Aisha Saleem*, Irum Naureen, Sehrish Rauf, Zohaib Hassan and Kashif Aziz

ABSTRACT

Rabbit faeces consist of numerous species of bacteria comprising both gram positive and gram negative. These bacteria are actually present in the caecum microbiota that forms a complex ecosystem which plays an important role in maintaining the reliability of the rabbit’s digestive health. The present study was conducted to examine the occurrence of gram positive bacteria in rabbit faeces. From 35 isolates, 14 strains of gram positive bacteria were isolated on the basis of Gram Staining technique from the rabbit faeces and distinctly labeled from RFS-01 to RFS-14. Afterwards these strains were identified as Staphylococcus aureus, Lactobacilli and Enterococcus spp. The percentages in incidence were 35.71% for both Staphylococcus aureus and Lactobacilli. While the Enterococcus sp. percentage in present study was 28.57. By applying biochemical test and after culturing bacteria on selective agar the bacteria species were identified. The Staphylococci species named were culture on Phenol Red Mannitol Salt Agar supplemented with 7.5% NaCl. Lactobacilli isolated on MRS and Pfizer Selective Enterococcus Agar was confirmed the presence of Enterococcus. The biochemical tests that were performed in present study were Catalase test, Oxidase test and the Coagulase test. The results may contribute to the study about the presence of gram positive bacteria in the faeces of herbivorous animals as well as evaluate the chances of microbial transmission from pet rabbits.

Keywords: Caecum microbiota, Gram staining, Lactobacilli, Staphylococcus, Catalase, Gram positive bacteria.