Salmonella Infections

Infections with bacteria of the genus Salmonella are responsible for both acute and chronic poultry diseases. These diseases cause economically significant losses for poultry producers in many nations and absorb large investments of public and private resources in testing and control efforts. This chapter first discusses infections with the 2 nonmotile serotypes, S. Pullorum and S. Gallinarum, which are generally host-specific for avian species. Pullorum disease, caused by S. Pullorum, is an acute systemic disease of chicks or poults. Fowl typhoid, caused by S. Gallinarum, is an acute or chronic septicemic disease that most often affects mature birds. It focuses on infections with the numerous motile and non host-adapted serotypes referred to collectively as paratyphoid salmonellae. The chapter also discusses infections with S. enterica subspecies arizonae, a motile serotype which was formerly designated Arizona hinshawii. This organism, although biochemically distinct, causes an acute septicemic disease that is not clinically distinguishable from other Salmonella infections.