Table 4.

The jejunum histomorphology of broilers infected with Clostridium perfringens.

Items	Ctr	SNE	BST	SEM	p
Villus height (μm)	1437.22a	1047.27b	1128.68b	46.29	<0.001
Crypt depth (μm)	208.40a	188.85a	160.65b	9.29	<0.001
Villus/Crypt ratio	6.95a	5.55b	7.19a	0.43	0.001
Lesion score
Day 28	0.50b	1.33a	0.83ab	0.22	0.002
Day 35	0.58	1.67	0.83	0.46	0.059

^a,bMean values within a row with no common superscript differ significantly (p<0.05).

Ctr group, basal diet in control group; SNE group, basal diet+SNE (20-fold dose coccidiosis vaccine)+1ml of Clostridium perfringens (2×10⁸cfu/ml coinfection); BST group, basal diet (days 1–21)+1×10⁹ colony-forming units (cfu)/kg BS diet (days 22–63)+SNE. SEM, standard error of mean. 0, no gross lesions, normal intestinal appearance; 1, thin walled or friable and few whitish plaques in the serosal surface (mild); 2, thin-walled, focal necrosis or ulceration, and small amounts of gas production (moderate); 3, thin-walled, large patches of necrosis, gas-filled intestine, and small flecks of blood (marked or severe); 4, severe extensive necrosis, marked haemorrhage, and excessive amounts of gas in the intestine (very severe).