Epizootiology of Avian Cholera in Wildfowl

Using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis to Differentiate Isolates of Pasteurella Multocida Serotype 1

“…Outbreaks killing thousands of wild waterfowl occur almost annually in some areas of the United States, and the disease has been documented in all major flyways (Botzler, 1991;Friend, 1999).…”

“…Most pathogenic P. multocida isolates cultured from wild waterfowl in the Pacific, Central, and Mississippi flyways of North America are serotype 1 (Botzler, 1991). There have been significant annual and geographic fluctuations in the patterns of avian cholera mortality among wild bird species, and factors influencing the initiation and the course of an avian cholera outbreak are not well understood (Rosen, 1969;Wobeser, 1992;Blanchong et al, 2006;Samuel et al, 2007).…”

Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases: General Field Procedures and Diseases of Birds

“…The fallacy of assuming that control measures are effective just because an epizootic ends was demonstrated when the eradication of infected coots by aerial application of a detergent was claimed to have been successful in controlling a 1975 avian cholera epizootic on Chesapeake Bay (USA) (Purseglove et al, 1976). However, Montgomery et al (1979) later questioned the efficacy of the effort, and Botzler (1991) points out that it is not possible to evaluate the impact of depopulation in the absence of an untreated control population. Botzler (1991) also points out that, although carcass collection-the principal control measure recommended by the Manual for avian cholera epizootics-is logical, the benefits have not been definitely tested.…”

“…However, Montgomery et al (1979) later questioned the efficacy of the effort, and Botzler (1991) points out that it is not possible to evaluate the impact of depopulation in the absence of an untreated control population. Botzler (1991) also points out that, although carcass collection-the principal control measure recommended by the Manual for avian cholera epizootics-is logical, the benefits have not been definitely tested.…”

“…'' But Botzler (1991) points out that ''the introduction of avian cholera into susceptible waterfowl populations may be common, and that most incidents of avian cholera may involve only one or a few birds and remain undetected.'' According to the Manual, avian cholera ''has become the most important infectious bacterial disease of waterbirds,'' but it concedes that the impacts on populations of various species are unknown.…”