Fowl Typhoid
A septicemia, seen primarily in chickens, also in turkeys, and other avian species. It looks very similar to pullorum disease.
This is common internationally due to lack of eradication programs.
This disease can continue for months and can be seen in young adults or mature fowl, due to the stress of coming into production.
Dramatic drop in outbreaks since NPIP – (1954).
Reportable.
Causative Agent
Bacteria, Salmonella gallinarum
Closely related to S. pullorum but
biochemically different.
S. pullorum & S. gallinarum: Antigenically
identical (complete cross agglutination) (S.
enteritidis also cross-agglutinates).
Method of Spread
Lateral from carriers
Vertical from carriers
Transovarian
Rats and feral birds (buzzards)
Human traffic
Incubation Period 4 to 5 days
Course of Disease 5 days in acute cases.
Losses may extend over
2-3 weeks period.
May recover.
Mortality If acute may range up to 50%.
Variable.
Clinical Signs
Chicks and Poults – Similar to pullorum
Infected eggs yield moribund and dead chicks
Whitish pasty vents
Anorexia
Labored breathing
Clinical Signs
Growing and Mature Birds
Drop in feed consumption
Depressed and pale
High fever (up to 112ºF)
Normal body temperature – 104ºF
Greenish diarrhea – catarrhal enteritis
Death in 4 to 10 days after exposure
Paleness, depression
Emaciation
Postmortem Lesions
Same as pullorum with a tendency for
enlarged (2-3x) dark spleens in acute
cases and mahogany or greenish-bronze
livers in subacute and chronic cases.
Focal areas of necrosis in the heart and
grayish lungs are also apparent.
Comment
This disease is usually very acute, and
dead birds will be found on the nest and
on the floor.
These birds may not have lesions.
Mahogany Liver
Liver necrosis
Liver & spleen lesions
Bronze liver
Congested liver, atresia of ova
Congested spleen
Cecal cores
Differential Diagnosis
Abscesses in lungs and viscera in chicks
unique to typhoid and pullorum.
In adults similar to other septicemic
diseases.
Reaction to agglutination test helpful in
chronic cases.
Diagnosis
Suggestive Diagnosis – High mortality in
hens, showing described lesions.
Positive Diagnosis – Isolation and
identification of the causative agent from
liver and/or spleen.
A positive agglutination test to pullorum
antigen will aid in the diagnosis.
Whole blood agglutination
Control Program
Voluntary regulatory program reactors
must be disposed of under supervision of
state regulatory agency.
Flock usually destroyed.
Premises decontaminated as per the
NPIP.
Culture Methods
Similar to other Salmonellae except:
Slow to variable H2S production
Non-motile
S. pullorum and S. gallinarum and S.
enteritidis are Group D
Treatment
Same as S. pullorum treatment. I.
(destroy) & II. (treat to control mortality).
Prevention
An attenuated vaccine strain 9R of S.
gallinarum is being using with success in
some foreign countries that do not have
successful eradication programs.
This is not licensed in the U.S.
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