, avian hemorrhagic septicemia)
Fowl Cholera is a serious, highly contagious disease.

All species of fowl affected

Both acute (primarily in turkeys) and chronic (primarily in chickens) infections occur..
 Young adults and mature birds usually affected.
Etiology:

Pasteurella multocida

Gram-negative bacteria, non motile, non-spore forming rod

The most important bacterial infection in turkeys. Will survive 3 months in carcass.
Species affected:

Domestic fowl of all species (primarily turkeys and chickens)

Game birds (especially pheasants and ducks) .

Cage birds, wild birds.
Other Avian Pasteurellas

Pasteurella anatipestifer (ducks)

P. haemolytica (colonies have B-hemolysis)

P. gallinarum (in mixed chronic respiratory infections) are also pathogens and may cause disease in poultry and waterfowl.
Epidemiology:

The incubation period is usually 5-8 days.

Usually strikes birds older than 6 weeks of age .

Morbidity and mortality may be up to 100%.

The bacterium is easily destroyed by environmental factors and disinfectants, but may persist for prolonged periods in soil (2 to 3 months) and at least 1 month in droppings.

Reservoirs of infection may be in other species such as rodents and cats.

Predisposing factors include high density and concurrent infections such as respiratory viruses.
Transmission:

The route of infection is oral or nasal with transmission via nasal exudate, feces, contaminated soil, equipment, and people.
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
Free-flying birds, rodents (rats and mice).

No transmitted through the egg.
Clinical signs:
- In acute form (acute septicemia):

Sudden death may be the first sign.

Dejection and ruffled feathers.

Loss of appetite, fever.

Mucoid discharge from the mouth.
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Diarrhea.

Coughing and labored breathing.
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Nasal and ocular discharge.

Swollen and cyanotic wattles and face.

Lameness.

Birds lose weight.
- Chronic form ( localized pasteurellosis): not cause high mortality,

Swollen abscessed wattles.

Swollen sinuses.

Swollen joints and foot pads.

Tracheal rales and dyspnea

Torticollis resulting from meningeal infection (especially in turkey).
Post-mortem lesions:

General hyperemia (in veins of the abdominal viscera, in small vessels of the duodenal mucosa).

Petechial and ecchymotic hemorrhages (sub-serosal hemorrhages in the lung, abdominal fat and intestinal mucosa.

Enteritis.

Enlarged liver with foci of necrosis.

Purulent pneumonia (especially turkeys).

Cellulitis of face and wattles.
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Caseous exudate in the sinuses around the eyes.

Purulent arthritis.

Yolk peritonitis.

Lungs with a consolidated pink 'cooked' appearance in turkeys.
- In chronic fowl cholera:

Cheesy exudates can be found between the intestines, and on liver and heart.

Yellowish caseous exudate in air spaces of the calvarial bones.
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Diagnosis:

Signs and lesions

Isolation (aerobic culture on trypticase soy or blood agar yields colonies in 24 hours - no growth on McConkey), confirmed with biochemical tests.

Serologic method:
Rapid whole-blood agglutination.
Serum plate agglutination.
Agar diffusion tests.
ELISA has limited value in chronic cholera and no value with the acute form of the disease.
Differential diagnosis:

Erysipelas

Septicemic viral and other bacterial diseases.
Treatment:

Treat in water if possible.

Drug of choice – Sulfadimethoxine (Albon) use as directed by drug company.
Preslaughter withdrawal 5 days.
 Sulfaquinoxaline is effective but toxic – withdrawal 10 days.
 INJECTIONS :

Penicillin – Streptomycin combination 25 mg Dihydrostreptomycin and
500 units Procaine Penicillin G for each pound of body weight.
Prevention

If the turkeys are 12 weeks of age or less, vaccinate with live vaccine and treat in 4 or 5 days.
 Birds should not be treated 72 hours previous to vaccination or for 4 days post vaccination.

Live field attenuated strain – CU strain good results in turkeys and chickens.
 Vaccinate turkeys in drinking water at 6-7 weeks Then every 3-5 weeks (once a month). Make sure watering systems are free from chlorine which will inactivate the vaccine.

M-9 – attenuated CU – used in turkeys and chickens. So mild it is not recommended. Less immunity than CU but also less side effects.
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 All live vaccines must be injected in chickens (wing web route). Oral vaccines given in the water are used in turkeys.

Killed vaccine – limited success in turkeys. Inoculated I/M or S/Q at 10 weeks or older and boost from 3 to 10 weeks later.
 Both aqueous and oil emulsion products available. Usually used in layer or breeder chickens.

Live vaccines give a broader spectrum of protection. Vaccinate hens with live vaccine by the wing web “stick” method. Use PM-1 or CU strain vaccine and pox inoculation needle.
* Do not vaccinate for fowl cholera unless you have a problem on the farm.
Dr. firas Hussien dept. of pathology.
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