![]() The poultryman must always avoid overcrowding, environmental stresses like chilling or overheating and avoid vaccination or handling stress during periods when the birds are already subjected to stressful conditions. Providing adequate ventilation, good litter and range conditions, properly cleaned and disinfected equipment and facilities and high quality feed and water will improve the disease resisting status of the birds. In addition, reducing stress factors and other disease agents can enhance the ability of birds to defend against harmful infections. Management and sanitation practices designed to reduce the number of these types of organisms in the birds' environment are necessary. One must take into consideration the organ from which the organisms were isolated, the pathogenicity of the particular isolate and the presence of other disease agents. Isolation and identification of the organism by culture procedures can be accomplished relatively quickly however, mere isolation is not sufficient to make a diagnosis. Navel infections, similar to those described for omphalitis may be seen in young birds.ĭiagnosis by laboratory means is necessary since coliform infection in its various forms may resemble and be easily confused with many other diseases. The intestines may be thickened and inflamed and may contain excess mucus and areas of hemorrhage. Fibrinous to caseous exudate in the air sacs, heart sac and on the surface of the heart, liver and lungs is a characteristic lesion. Common lesions include dehydration, swelling and congestion of the liver and spleen and kidneys and pinpoint hemorrhages in the viscera. ![]() Mortality may be high in recently hatched chicks and poults as a result of navel infection of coliforms.Įxtremely acute septicemic infection may result in sudden death with very few, if any, lesions apparent. Additional symptoms of labored breathing, occasional coughing and rales may be apparent. However, in most cases birds are listless with ruffled feathers and indications of fever. Morbidity may not be apparent and birds in apparently good condition may die. In the acute septicemic form, mortality may begin suddenly and progress rapidly. The symptoms vary with the different types of infections. Omphalitis and infections in young birds may result from entry through the unhealed navel or penetration of the egg shell prior to or during incubation. The primary routes of invasion by the organism are the respiratory system and the gastrointestinal tract. All degrees of pathogenicity exist between the two extremes. Some are severe and by themselves can cause disease while others are supposedly harmless. Many are normal inhabitants in intestinal tracts of chickens and turkeys and consequently are common organisms in the birds' environment.Ī marked variation exists between different strains in their ability to cause disease. ![]() There are many different strains or serological types within the group of E. coli bacteria and the toxins produced as they grow and multiply. The symptoms of this disease is caused by the E. High, early mortality may occur as the result of navel infections. Secondary infections commonly occur as a part of the classic air sac disease syndrome as a complication with Mycoplasma gallisepticum infections.Īll ages can be affected however, the acute septicemia in young turkeys and airsacculitis in young chickens is more common in young growing birds. ![]() The disease may result from a coliform infection alone as in primary infection or in combination with other disease agents as a complicating or secondary infection. Infections may result in a respiratory disease from air sac infection, a septicemic (blood) disease from generalized infections, an enteritis from intestinal infection or a combination of any or all of these conditions. Problems range from severe acute infections with sudden and high mortality to mild infections of a chronic nature with low morbidity and mortality. Problems attributed to coliform infections are often caused by strains of the Escherichia coli organism.
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