Fowl Cholera
Poultry Pathology (Path-611)
Lecture 22
Dr. Muhammad Kashif Saleemi
DVM, M.Sc (Hons.), PhD
Associate Professor (Tenured)
Member National Disease Control Committee (NDCC)
US-NAS One Health Fellowship
Head Diagnostic Laboratory Department of Pathology
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science,
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
,Definition
◼ Fowl cholera (FC) (avian cholera, avian pasteurellosis, or
avian hemorrhagic septicemia) is a contagious disease
affecting domesticated and wild birds.
◼ Fowl cholera is an infectious disease of poultry, waterfowl,
and many other birds, usually appearing in poultry as an
acute septicemic disease with high morbidity and mortality.
◼ A chronic, localized form occurs in poultry and may follow
the acute form, or may occur independently
,Historical Information
◼ This disease historically important because of its role in the early
development of bacteriology and because it was 1 of 4 diseases
the Veterinary Division of the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) was created to investigate.
◼ Fowl cholera has been recognized as a disease of poultry for
more than 200 years.
◼ About 100 years ago, Pasteur isolated the organism and used it in
one of the first vaccines. In the United States, Dr. Salmon studied
the disease as early as 1880.
◼ The disease was studied in France in 1782 by Chabert and in
1836 by Mailet, who first used the term fowl cholera.
◼ Huppe in 1886 referred to hemorrhagic septicemia, and Lignieres
in 1900 used the term avian pasteurellosis
, ETIOLOGY
◼ The etiologic agent is Pasteurella multocida, a Gram-
negative, bipolar-staining bacillus that grows readily
on blood agar but not on MacConkey agar.
◼ Virulence among isolates is highly variable.
◼ Encapsulated strains are usually highly virulent;
unencapsulated isolates are typically of low virulence.
◼ The organism varies greatly in its antigenic makeup, a
characteristic responsible for difficulties in producing effective
bacterins and vaccines.
◼ Serotypes 1, 3, and 3X4 are most commonly isolated from
poultry outbreaks.
Poultry Pathology (Path-611)
Lecture 22
Dr. Muhammad Kashif Saleemi
DVM, M.Sc (Hons.), PhD
Associate Professor (Tenured)
Member National Disease Control Committee (NDCC)
US-NAS One Health Fellowship
Head Diagnostic Laboratory Department of Pathology
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science,
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
,Definition
◼ Fowl cholera (FC) (avian cholera, avian pasteurellosis, or
avian hemorrhagic septicemia) is a contagious disease
affecting domesticated and wild birds.
◼ Fowl cholera is an infectious disease of poultry, waterfowl,
and many other birds, usually appearing in poultry as an
acute septicemic disease with high morbidity and mortality.
◼ A chronic, localized form occurs in poultry and may follow
the acute form, or may occur independently
,Historical Information
◼ This disease historically important because of its role in the early
development of bacteriology and because it was 1 of 4 diseases
the Veterinary Division of the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) was created to investigate.
◼ Fowl cholera has been recognized as a disease of poultry for
more than 200 years.
◼ About 100 years ago, Pasteur isolated the organism and used it in
one of the first vaccines. In the United States, Dr. Salmon studied
the disease as early as 1880.
◼ The disease was studied in France in 1782 by Chabert and in
1836 by Mailet, who first used the term fowl cholera.
◼ Huppe in 1886 referred to hemorrhagic septicemia, and Lignieres
in 1900 used the term avian pasteurellosis
, ETIOLOGY
◼ The etiologic agent is Pasteurella multocida, a Gram-
negative, bipolar-staining bacillus that grows readily
on blood agar but not on MacConkey agar.
◼ Virulence among isolates is highly variable.
◼ Encapsulated strains are usually highly virulent;
unencapsulated isolates are typically of low virulence.
◼ The organism varies greatly in its antigenic makeup, a
characteristic responsible for difficulties in producing effective
bacterins and vaccines.
◼ Serotypes 1, 3, and 3X4 are most commonly isolated from
poultry outbreaks.
