NAVLE Nuggets: Infectious Respiratory Disease in Poultry

Case number one.

A commercial poultry producer notices something alarming.

Overnight, several birds have died.

There weren't many warning signs beforehand.

The next morning, more birds are depressed and have decreased appetite.

Some have diarrhea and increased respiratory effort.

In another group, the disease has been going on for longer.

Several birds have swollen waddles and are lame.

What disease should be on your differential list? The answer is foul cholera.

Foul cholera is caused by Pasturella maltosida, a gram-negative non-modal rod.

It affects a wide variety of domestic and wild birds.

Turkeys and waterfowl are particularly susceptible.

And this disease is reportable.

So how is this disease transmitted? Chronically infected birds and subclinical carriers can serve as an important source of infection.

The organism can spread through secretions from the mouth, nose, and conjunctiva.

Contaminated equipment, shoes, feed bags, and other materials can also contribute to transmission.

Wild birds can introduce the organism into a flock as well.

Most commonly though, this organism is introduced to the flock via rodents and fomites.

So what clinical signs will we see with foul cholera? This is where the disease can get interesting because the presentation depends on whether you're dealing with an acute or chronic disease.

In acute disease, clinical signs appear most commonly following direct inoculation from a bite or an injection.

The first sign may simply be dead birds.

Mortality can increase rapidly due to this organism causing septicemia.

Other signs may include depression, anorexia, mucoid oral discharge, ruffled feathers, diarrhea, and an increased respiratory rate.

Pneumonia is particularly common in turkeys.

In chronic disease, with Pasturella Maltosida, you want to think of localized infections.