Salmonellosis

Chickens and turkeys are most susceptible, although other species of birds can become infected.Clinical signs include death of infected chicks or poults beginning at 5-7 days of age and peaks in another 4-5 days. Other signs include huddling, droopiness, diarrhea, weakness, pasted vent, gasping, and chalk-white feces, sometimes stained with green bile. Affected birds are unthrifty and stunted because they do not eat. Survivors become asymptomatic carriers with localized infection in the ovary.

Transmission:Pullorum is spread primarily through the egg, from hen to chick. It can spread further by contaminated incubators, hatchers, chick boxes, houses, equipment, poultry by-product feedstuffs and carrier birds. The route of infection is oral; many species are intestinal carriers and infection may be carried by faeces, fomites and on eggshells. Vertical transmission may be either by shell contamination or internal transovarian contamination of yolk. Disease will be controlled by antibiotics and Vitamins/ Mineral supplements.