Fowl Typhoid

 

Introduction : 

Fowl typhoid is a septicemic acute or chronic disease of domesticated birds, caused by Salmonella gallinarum. The disease is worldwide distributed and natural outbreaks occur in chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl, peafowl, duckling and game birds such as quail, grouse and pheasant. Both vertical and horizontal transmission occur and the disease differs from other avian salmonella infections in that clinical disease is usually seen in growers or adult birds although chicks can be affected.

Chicks and poultry :

• If birds are hatched from infected eggs, moribund and dead chicks my be seen on the hatching trays at the time that hatched is pulled.

• Others show somnolence and adherence of whitish material to the vent.

• Labored breathing or gasping my be noted as a result of lung involvement.

Growing and Mature Fowl :

• Sudden drop in feed consumption, with birds being droopy and ruffled and having pale heads and shrunken combs and decrease in egg production. 

• Fowl typhoid in adult chickens causes listlessness and sulfur coloured diarrhoea.

Diagnosis :

• Flock history, signs and lesions my be highly suggestive of fowl typhoid.

• A definitive diagnosis of fowl typhoid requires isolation and identification of Salmonella gallinarum.

• Serological tests may be helpful in makin a tentative diagnosis. 

Treatment :

• Sulphaquinoxalin 0.1% solution is used for 2-3 days and 0.05% for 2 additional days if necessary. The withdrawal period is a minimum of 10 days before slaughtering for food.

• Furazolidone is used 0.01% level in the feed for 2 weeks, followed by 0.0055% continuously until the flock is marketed. The withdrawal period is a minimum of 5 days before slaughtering for food.

Remark :

Streptomycin, chloramphenicol and chlortertacycline have been found effective against fowl typhoid but none is approved for use in poultry raised for food.