Serotypes Salmonella pullorum

Among Salmonella spp., Salmonella gallinarum and Salmonella pullorum are the most common causative agents of chicken salmonellosis resulting in high mortality and morbidity. S. Pullorum and S. Gallinarum do cause disease in poultry but rarely cause illness in humans. These Salmonella serovars are nonmotile and host-specific and cause Pullorum disease (PD) and fowl typhoid (FT), respectively.

Pullorum disease is caused by Salmonella enterica Pullorum. The disease affects mainly young chicks and poults, but can also affect older chickens, game birds, guinea fowl, ostriches, parrots, peafowl, ring doves, sparrows and turkeys.

Affected birds huddle near the heat source, are anorectic, weak, depressed, and have white fecal material pasted to the vent area. In addition, the birds may have respiratory disease, blindness, or swollen joints.

Ovarian transmission is a major route by which the organism can spread. Game birds and ‘backyard’ poultry flocks may act as reservoirs of infection, and wild birds may act as vectors for the organism and as such are important in the epidemiology of the disease.
Serotypes Salmonella pullorum