title: Characteristics of fowl cholera outbreaks in turkeys in Georgia in 1986.
abstract: Information was gathered from 64 cases of fowl cholera (FC) in turkey flocks through diagnostic case records, flock records, and telephone and mail surveys. Forty-five cases came from flocks of commercial turkeys, of which 15 were presented twice, and four came from mature breeder flocks. The prevalence of FC was 18.0% of commercial flocks and 14.7% of breeder flocks at risk. The average age at first diagnosis of FC was 90 days in commercial turkey flocks and 32 weeks 5 days in breeder flocks. Acute mortality was the most common presenting complaint, with a 0.37% average mortality in commercial flocks on the day of first presentation, 0.80% in commercial flocks presented a second time, and 0.43% in breeder flocks. Pasteurella multocida was cultured from 69.8% of the 361 tissue samples submitted from these cases. Novobiocin, penicillin, and chlortetracycline (CTC) had the greatest in vitro activity against isolates. Serotype 3-cross-4 was found in all 18 commercial flocks from which isolates were typed. All breeder flocks and 88.6% of commercial flocks were vaccinated before disease onset. Flocks were treated for an average of 14.3 days, most commonly with high levels of sulfadimethoxine and/or CTC. Body weights of affected birds were comparable to those of birds in unaffected flocks, but mortality and feed efficiency were worse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Avian Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens 30605.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Thayer
authors.forename: O J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Fletcher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001947:Breeding; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D005845:Georgia; D010325:Pasteurella / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D010326:Pasteurella Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D014422:Turkeys; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents