The immunogenicity and pathogenicity of Pasteurella multocida isolated from poultry in Namakkal

Abstract

The growth of Indian poultry industry is phenomenal and the industry now ranks 5(th) in the world in egg production. Intensification of poultry farming was the way by which this growth was obtained. Such intensification has led to health problems associated with both existing and emerging diseases. Of the diseases affecting poultry, fowl cholera is a very important bacterial disease. Fowl cholera occurs worldwide and causes economic losses due to increased mortality, increased number of culls and a marked drop in egg production. The causative agent of fowl cholera namely Pasturella multocida was first isolated in 1878 by Bollinger (Carter and Chengappa, 1986). A recent survey on the prevalence of fowl cholera in Namakkal area reported an incidence of 4.17% in 0-10 wks, 8.47% in growers and 3.61% in layers (Daniel et al., 1998). There is little information regarding the serotype or pathogenicity of the Indian Pasturella multocida isolates associated with fowl cholera outbreaks. Though commercial vaccines are being used in chicken breeding farms, occasional outbreaks of fowl cholera still occur. Hence, this study was undertaken to characterize local isolates of Pasturella multocida associated with outbreaks in Namakkal as a first step in the development of a fowl cholera vaccine.