title: Pasteurella multocida recovered from live turkeys: prevalence and virulence in turkeys.
abstract: Swabs of the oropharynges of 801 live turkeys (621 meat birds and 180 breeders), collected from 15 flocks that had experienced an outbreak of fowl cholera and from 12 non-outbreak flocks, were screened for the presence of Pasteurella multocida. Turkeys from outbreak flocks were sampled within 2 to 9 weeks of the outbreak. Forty-nine isolates of P. multocida were recovered from turkeys in 11 of the outbreak flocks, and none were recovered from turkeys in non-outbreak flocks. Isolation rates varied from 0 to 72% of turkeys sampled in a flock. Nineteen isolates were tested for virulence by injecting them intravenously into turkeys, and 14 were lethal. Results demonstrated that for purposes of disease control, meat birds in fowl-cholera-outbreak flocks should be considered carriers of potentially virulent P. multocida for the life of the flock.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of California, Davis 95616.
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Hirsh
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Kasten
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Hird
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Snipes
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: McCapes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D010325:Pasteurella / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D010326:Pasteurella Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D014422:Turkeys / Q000382:microbiology*; D014774:Virulence