Observations on salpingitis, peritonitis and salpingoperitonitis in a layer breeder flock

Abstract

A flock of 13,951 hens and 1379 cockerels was monitored from 26 to 58 weeks of age for the complex of salpingitis, peritonitis and salpingoperitonitis (sps). Two hundred and forty-three hens (78 per cent of the hens that died) were examined postmortem, and sps was recognised by gross examination for inflammatory exudate, in the body cavity or oviduct in 111 (46 per cent) of them. Salpingoperitonitis was the most common form, followed by salpingitis and then peritonitis. There were acute and chronic cases in all three conditions, but only in peritonitis were acute cases more common than chronic cases. Seventeen birds that had died of sps were cultured for aerobic bacteria within 12 hours of death. Escherichia coli was recovered from a variety of tissues from all of them, and other bacteria, including staphylococci, Mannheimia haemolytica and Streptococcus bovis, were isolated from a few carcases, either alone or together with E coli. Relatively few isolations of E coli were made from normal hens cultured 48, 72 and 96 hours after death.

The potential for probiotics to prevent reproductive tract lesions in free-range laying hens

“…To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first demonstration of the commercial probiotic use for preventing reproductive tract pathologies in free-range laying hens. Reproductive tract pathologies such as peritonitis and salpingoperitonitis are conditions often referred to in laying hens as egg peritonitis (Jordan et al 2005). There are many factors that can initiate such pathologies.…”

“…In some cases, hens may look healthy, but due to chronic pathologies of the ovary or oviduct, they stop laying eggs. Mortalities from reproductive pathologies are rare, and in most of cases, are caused by other complications, such as acute and chronic peritonitis (Jones and Owen 1981;Kinde et al 2000;Jordan et al 2005). Various bacteria have been reported to cause primary or secondary reproductive tract infections in free-range birds Neubauer et al 2009).…”

“…Pathologies such as oophoritis, salpingitis, peritonitis and metritis are frequently encountered at onset and during the laying period, causing losses in egg production (Jordan et al 2005). Most bacteria commonly associated with reproductive tract infections originate from both the ascending and descending route (Gast and Beard 1990;Shivaprasad et al 1990;Hoop and Pospischil 1993;Keller et al 1995).…”

Colibacillosis in poultry: unravelling the molecular basis of virulence of avian pathogenicEscherichia coliin their natural hosts

“…Colibacillosis is a disease of severe economic significance to all poultry producers worldwide and is characterized by a diverse array of lesions. Recent reports in Western Europe implicate a resurgence of this disease in the poultry industry, particularly in chicken layers (Zanella et al, 2000;Vandekerchove et al, 2004;Jordan et al, 2005). Depending on the virulence status of the strain, host status and presence and type of predisposing factors, the infection manifests as an initial septicaemia that is followed by either sudden death or localized inflammation in multiple organs.…”

“…Infection of eggs may occur at laying or during formation in the oviduct, often leading to embryo and early chick mortality. In the United Kingdom, salpingo-peritonitis was the most common form of avian colibacillosis observed in laying hens (Jordan et al, 2005), but what influences presentation of this pathology is unknown.…”