Abstract
The study was conducted to isolate and identify the presence of the cpb gene in Clostridium perfringens from clinical samples collected in Hue City. A total of 200 fecal samples were collected from chickens suspected of having necrotic enteritis across four areas: Huong Thuy, Quang Dien, Phu Vang, and Huong Tra (former). Using anaerobic cultivation and traditional biochemical characterization, 116 C. perfringens strains were isolated, accounting for a rate of 58.00%. The infection rate tended to increase with farm scale, reaching the highest in large-scale farms (66.67%, p < 0.05), while no significant differences were observed between age groups (p > 0.05). All isolates exhibited typical phenotypic and biochemical characteristics of the species. Notably, through PCR technique, the study identified that 28 out of 116 isolates carried the cpb toxin gene, accounting for 24.14%. These results indicate the presence of strains harboring the cpb gene circulating locally. The study provides important baseline data for epidemiological forecasting and the development of necrotic enteritis control strategies in the region.