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Research to help control emerging broiler breeder disease
Story Date: 2/7/2012
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Source: MEATINGPLACE, 2/6/12
The U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) and the USPOULTRY Foundation announced that North Carolina State University has completed a research project that will help develop control measures for Enterococcal Spondylitis (ES), an emerging disease of broiler breeders that causes significant mortality.
ES has been isolated to flocks in North Carolina, where infected flocks have shown spinal abscesses with Enterococcus cecorum (E. cecorum). Outbreaks of spinal abscesses in broilers/broiler breeders associated with E. cecorum were first observed in 2007.
N.C. State scientists sought to develop an experimental model for ES using E. cecorum, with and without coccidia challenge, to study possible risk factors; to examine the role of coccidia infection; and to determine the development (pathogenesis) of ES.
Enterococcal Spondylitis caused by E. cecorum was experimentally reproduced under controlled laboratory conditions. However, the disease was observed in only 1 of 16 birds when challenged with both E. cecorum and coccidia.
The results provide information on the development of ES and methods to re-create it in the laboratory. This research will aid in development of therapeutic and preventative control measures for this emerging disease.
For a detailed summary, click here.
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