FOWL CHOLERA (AVIAN HEMORRHAGIC SEPTICEMIA)

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Causative Agent(s)

Pasteurella multocida.

Clinical Presentation and Epidemiology

Turkeys are more susceptible than chickens, and older chickens more susceptible than young. Transmitted through excretions from mouth, nose, and conjunctiva. Infection sources include domestic poultry, waterfowl, domestic mammals, wild carnivores, and rodents.

There are two forms of the disease with varied clinical signs. In the Acute form there is fever, increased respiratory rate, depression, anorexia, mucoid discharge from the mouth, ruffled feathers, diarrhoea, and sudden death.

In the Chronic form– Signs of localized infection, such as swollen sternal bursae, wattles, joints, tendon sheaths, and footpads are seen. Facial oedema and other signs of involvement of the respiratory tract may be observed. There may also appear facial oedema and torticollis.

Diagnostic Consideration

Characteristic signs and lesions. Presence of Gram-negative bipolar organism in blood and other tissues. Isolation and identification of organism.

Management and Treatment

Sodium sulphamerazine at oral dosage rates of 107.25-143 mg/kg body weight effectively reduce mortality in turkeys. In chickens, 0.2% sodium sulphamerazine in drinking water or 0.4% sulphamerazine in mash. Sulphaquinoxaline at 0.01—0.05% PO. Streptomycin given IM in a dose of 150,000ug in adult turkeys. Chlortetracycline in chicks at 40 mg/kg or Enrofloxacin at

12.5mg/kg PO for 3-5 days in chickens and turkeys, as guided by susceptibility test.

Prevention involves good management practices. Adjuvant bacterins (killed) are available. If these do not contain the appropriate strains, autogenous bacterins may be used. Attenuated (live) vaccines for use in drinking water (turkeys) or web-wing inoculation (chickens) are also commercially available. Use in healthy flocks only.