Fowl Cholera & Campylobacter Infections

Question 1

Fowl Cholera: Etiology, Hosts, and Transmission

Answer 1

• Pasturella multocida (G-neg motile coccobacilli)
• still important disease in the US…not yet completely under control
• hosts = most avian spp. are susceptible
  
  • ducks and geese = highly susceptible
  • turkeys = more susceptible than chickens
  • mature chickens more susceptible than young ones
• isolates from pigs are pathogenic to poultry
• spread via direct contact
• survivors are carriers

Question 2

Fowl Cholera: Clinical signs - Acute form

Answer 2

• no clinical signs

- birds die in 2 days

Question 3

Fowl Cholera: Clinical signs - Subacute form

Answer 3

• anorexia
• fever
• diarrhea
• cyanosis

Question 4

Fowl Cholera: Clinical signs - Chronic form

Answer 4

= symptoms related to localization of infection

Question 5

Fowl Cholera: Lesions - Acute and Subacute forms

Answer 5

• petechiae to ecchymotic hemorrhages common in:
  
  • subepicardium
  • intestine
  • fat
  • serosa
• enlarged, necrotic liver
• turkeys:
  
  • hepatitis w/ multifocal pinpoint necrotic foci and congestion
  • pericarditis
  • perihepatitis
  • unilateral (usually) pneumonia & fibrinous pleuritis

Question 6

Fowl Cholera: Lesions - Chronic form

Answer 6

• caseous exudate
• found in localized tissue, i.e. wattles
• torticollis = d/t otitis (organism also infects middle ear)

Question 7

Fowl Cholera: Diagnosis

Answer 7

• smears stained with Giemsa = bipolar-staining bacteria

- culture for confirmation

Question 8

Fowl Cholera: Tx, Px, and Control

Answer 8

• Tx = abx, sulfa drugs
• Px = vax (killed, 2 boosters) - only rec. where endemic
• Control = good hygiene b/c not a disease of the hatchery (= no transovo or transovarial transmission)

Question 9

Campylobacter infections: Generalities and Etiology

Answer 9

• G-neg motile curved (comma- or S-shaped) bacilli/rod
• common in broilers, layers, and ducks
• low incidence in the US
• species:
  
  • C. jejuni
  • C. lari
  • C. coli

Question 10

Campylobacter infections: Campy in broilers

Answer 10

• serious emerging zoonosis
• major source of human gastroenteritis (= handling and eating contaminated poultry/products)
• 75% of live broilers and 80% of processed poultry meat is campy-positive!

Question 11

Campylobacter infections: Transmission

Answer 11

• Feces = organisms in GIT

- Egg transmission strongly suspected = on or in egg through hatchery

Question 12

Campylobacter infections: Clinical signs and lesions

Answer 12

• NO clinical signs
• distended intestines with mucus/watery contents
• toxigenic strains = hemorrhages in intestine & liver

Question 13

Campylobacter infections: Diagnosis

Answer 13

bacterial isolation on artificial media and/or embryos

Question 14

Human Autoimmune conditions associate with Campylobacter

Answer 14

• Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS)
  
  • acute neuromuscular paralysis
  • assoc. with inflammatory polyneuropathy
• Fischer’s syndrome = variant of GBS
• Reiter’s syndrome = non-purulent reactive arthritis

Question 15

Campylobacter infections: Control

Answer 15

• no vaccine
• must control with management procedures
• pre-harvest control = during the rearing stage
  
  • intensify biosecurity
  • frequent collection and cleaning of eggs
  • water and feed from clean source
• post-harvest control = after slaughter
  
  • reduce microbe contamination during processing
  • spray washers 50ppm chlorine
  • scalding immersions ~50C @ pH 8-9
  • antimicrobial additions in water
  • gamma radiation
  • freezing
• isolation of abs-resistant campy strains from poultry is an emerging public health problem!