Also known as Typhoid
Fowl typhoid occurs worldwide in all young adults or mature birds, However brown layers are most susceptible. Brown egg layers are more sensitive than white egg layers. It is caused by a rod-shaped gram negative bacteria- Salmonella gallinarum.
- Causes of Fowl typhoid >
- Effects of Fowl typhoid >
- Diagnosis of Fowl typhoid >
- Treatment & Control of Fowl typhoid >
Causes of Fowl typhoid
All birds, especially young adults and mature birds are susceptible to this acute to chronic disease.
The causative agent is Salmonella gallinarum, a rod-shaped bacterium which produces no spore or capsule.
Mode of transmission
It is spread by biological vectors and through the egg. The incubation period is 4-5 days.
Contaminated feed and H2O, fomites (trucks, workers and equipment etc), will transmit the organism. Fomites are inanimate objects which can carry infectious organisms and spread disease.
The organism is species specific (occurs in birds only).Horizontal spread occurs from bird to bird
Special note
It has been eradicated from most commercial poultry flocks, but is still common in backyard flocks.
Effects of Fowl typhoid
Birds have elevated temperature 109-111oF (44-45oC), pale combs and wattles, shrunken combs, greenish-yellow diarrhoea, depression, and/or anaemia.
Postmortem lesions
Birds have bronze liver and grey foci in lungs and gizzard. Congested breast muscle, enteritis often with ulceration, mottled swollen spleens and kidney and thin watery blood are often seen.
Necrotic foci on the liver and heart, misshape rupture ovaries and peritonitis can occur.
Diagnosis of Fowl typhoid
Laboratory (necropsy, serology, microbial isolation and identification) monitoring is needed for a definitive diagnosis. Culture Salmonella and determine antibiotic sensitivity. It simulates paratyphoid, pullorum and cholera E. coli.
Treatment & Control of Fowl typhoid
Prevention
- Control vectors
- Test breeders for positive serum
- Destroy positive breeders
- Pellet feeds
- Use chlorine in the water
- Vaccines from non pathogenic S. gallinarum are available
Treatment
Neomycin or sulfaquinoxaline.
