A bacteriologic study of scabby-hip lesions from broiler chickens in Texas.
Broilers from commercial flocks experiencing a 10-60% incidence of scabby-hip lesions at processing were examined, and selected skin lesions were cultured. Over 70% of the lesions were associated with traumatic excoriations, particularly on the caudal dorsal convexity of the birds. Most lesions were observed on birds that were 5 weeks of age or older. From the 27 specimens cultured, Clostridium perfringens was isolated in pure culture from 4 lesions and Staphylococcus species from 10 lesions. Pure cultures of staphylococci were recovered from 4 lesions, and 2-5 different staphylococci were isolated from 6 lesions. Eight staphylococci were identified as S. sciuri, 8 as S. simulans, 2 as S. epidermidis, 2 as S. lentus, 2 as S. warneri, 1 as S. cohnii, and 1 as S. intermedius. Fifty cutaneous specimens from 10 5-week-old normal broilers were cultured. A total of 197 isolates were identified including 65 S. sciuri, 52 S. lentus, 24 S. simulans, 12 S. hyicus, 11 S. warneri, 9 S. cohnii, 9 S. gallinarium, 8 S. xylosus, and 7 S. epidermidis.
Scanlan
C M
CM
Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, Texas Veterinary Medical Center, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843.
Hargis
B M
BM
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002645:Chickens; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003872:Dermatitis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013781:Texas
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents