NECROTIC ENTERITIS

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Causative Agent(s)

Clostridium perfringens Types A and C.

Clinical Presentation and Epidemiology

Acute enterotoxaemia is characterized by sudden onset, explosive mortality, and confluent necrosis of the mucosa of the small intestine. It is primarily a disease of broilers and turkeys 2- 12 weeks old. Occurs most frequently in houses with built-up litter. Likely to occur when gut microecology is altered drastically (change in feed, decreased motility, damage to mucosa by aggressive pathogens or toxins).

The disease may manifest with rapid progression and death within a few hours. Infected birds are depressed, reluctant to move and may be diarrheic.

Diagnostic Consideration

Large numbers of short, thick, Gram-positive rods can be seen in stained smears of mucosal scrapings. Histopathology reveals coagulative necrosis of intestinal mucosa and masses of rods in fibrinonecrotic debris. The causative organism can be isolated by anerobic culture of intestinal contents.

Management and Treatment

Sanitation and efforts to prevent other diseases will reduce likelihood of occurrence of the disease. Drastic changes in feed should be avoided.

Affected birds can be treated with bacitracin methylene disalicylate (50–100 mg/litre for 5–7 days), penicillin (1,500,000 u/gal. for 5 days), lincomycin (16 mg/litre for 7 days) and tetracyclines (20 ppm in feed).