Epidemiology and Economic Importance of Pullorum Disease in Poultry: A Review

Abstract

: Poultry represents important sources of food and income in the world in general and in Ethiopia in particular. However, many diseases and nutrition related disorders affect the poultry industry. Among this, Pullorum disease (bacillary white diarrhea) is widely distributed disease of fowl caused by Salmonella pullorum. It is severe septicemia disease of domestic and wild fowl and remains an important disease for the poultry industry due to high morbidity and mortality. The aim of this manuscript is to review currently available information on the pullorum disease with special attentions to its epidemiology and economic importance in poultry. Pullorum disease mostly infects young chicks up to 2 to 3 weeks of age. Disease can transmit both vertically (trans-ovarian) and horizontally. The affected birds huddle under a heat source and are anorexic, depressed, dehydrated and have whitish faecal pasting around their vents. In mature birds Pullorum disease is less severe or inapparent but characterized by decreased egg production, poor hatchability and fertility. Characteristic lesions include whitish nodes throughout the lungs and focal necrosis of liver and spleen. Tentative diagnosis mostly based on clinical signs, flock history, mortality and post–mortem. Confirmatory diagnosis depends on the isolation of the organism and serological tests. Salmonella Pullorum occasionally causes acute, self-limiting enteritis in people who eat massively contaminated food. It causes great economic losses, due to high mortality rate, decrease in production (eggs and chicks) and cost of medication. Treatment of infected birds is required to decrease the rate of mortality and its spread in a flock but treatedchicken remain carriers. Successful control programs can be achieved by developing good hygiene and management together with routine serological tests and slaughter policy. Vaccination with effective vaccines to the layer or breeder flock is an important tool to control the pullorum disease. The disease is highly prevalent and cause huge economic losses due to high mortality up to 100%, therefore, strict biosecurity measure should be conducted to prevent and control a disease