584 ACUTE GENERAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES 



FOWL CHOLERA. 



Cholera Gallinarum. Pasteur ellosis Avium. Fowl 

 Typhoid. 



Definition.— This is an acute contagious disease of fowls, 

 usually occurring in an epizootic form, and affecting par- 

 ticularly chickens, geese, pigeons, ducks, quail, sparrows and 

 pheasants. It is characterized by a general infection, and 

 the prominent symptom of diarrhea. 



Occurrence.— Fowl cholera is found in most sections of 

 the United States, causing extensive losses to poultrymen. 

 The finer breeds of fowls seem to be more susceptible to 

 infection, probably because of exposure to the disease at 

 poultry shows and other public exhibitions. It occurs as 

 an epizootic, sometimes destroying entire flocks. The losses 

 are serious from an economic standpoint. The monetary 

 loss, which is great when a large number of birds die; the 

 loss in egg production, and the interference with breeding 

 operations make fowl cholera a formidable disease. The 

 disease often spreads over a large area, producing enormous 

 losses. 



Etiology.— It is produced by the Bacillus avisepticus (bipo- 

 laris). This bacillus is one of the smallest bipolar organisms. 



Pathogenesis.— The transmission of the disease frojn one 

 bird to another is very easy. Directly inoculating the 

 blood from a sick fowl to a healthy one by scarifying the 

 skin or membranes, produces the disease in practically 

 every attempt. Subcutaneous and intramuscular inocu- 

 lations bring similar results. Inoculations with the infected 

 blood of any of the birds into other species will produce 

 the disease. Instillation of the infection into the con- 

 junctival sac of fowls produces the disease. Feeding 

 infected meat to other fowls, or cultures of the organism 

 will in the majority of cases result in the bird coming down 

 with the disease. Other animals— guinea pigs, mice and 

 rats— are susceptible to the disease by inoculation with 



