Staphylococcal necrosis of the head of the femur in broiler chickens

Griffiths, G. L.; Hopkinson, W.I.; Lloyd, Jill

doi:10.1111/j.1751-0813.1984.tb06015.x

Cited by 25 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 7 publications

(1 reference statement)

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“…While most natural diseases of Anseriformes also occur in captivity (Montali, 1987), staphylococcosis appears to be associated mainly with captive conditions. Most of our pathological findings are as described previously for birds, including terminal septicaemia, endocarditis, arthritis, tenosynovitis, osteomyelitis, peritonitis, hepatitis, splenitis, nephritis, pneumonia, encephalomyelitis and enteritis (Keymer, 1958;Karstad & Sileo, 1971;Nairn, 1973;Irwin, 1975;Wobeser, 1981;Arp et al, 1983;Mutalib et al, 1983a,b;Griffiths et al, 1984;Bergmann et al, 1988;Wobeser & Kost, 1992). The inflammatory reactions, particularly the tendency for granuloma formation, are also compatible with those reported in avians for staphylococcosis and other bacterial pathogens (Montali, 1988).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Staphylococcosis in captive exotic waterfowl

Dias

Montau

1994

Avian Pathology

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Staphylococcosis in captive exotic waterfowl

Dias

Montau

1994

Avian Pathology

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“…Nairn & Watson (1972) found cases in broilers aged 4 to 8 weeks. It was also recorded, together with arthritis/tenosynovitis, in birds aged from 35 to 45 days by Griffiths et al (1984). Riddell & Springer (1985) found arthritis and osteomyelitis from 34 days onwards in birds processed from 41 to 49 days.…”

Section: Clinical Signsmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…The onset of lameness may be associated with a rising mortality rate in the flock (Nairn & Watson, 1972;Griffiths et al, 1984). Nairn & Watson (1972) reported that the incidence of lameness due to BCO in broiler chickens may reach 50%, with up to 5% mortality of the flock.…”

Section: Clinical Signsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Weight loss has been recorded as a feature of both the naturally occurring disease (Griffiths et al, 1984) and experimentally induced disease (Emslie & Nade, 1985). The negative effect on growth rate has been used as a predictor of lesion development with the intravenous model .…”

Section: Clinical Signsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Osteomyelitis was first reported as a cause of lameness in commercial broiler chickens in Australia (Nairn & Watson, 1972), and Staphylococcus aureus was shown to be the cause. The condition, more correctly called bacterial chondronecrosis with ostemyelitis (BCO) (see the next section), has subsequently been reported in broilers from other parts of Australia, the US, Canada and Europe (Griffiths et al, 1984;Riddell & Springer, 1985;Thorp et al, 1993;Randall & Reece, 1996;Thorp & Waddington, 1997;McNamee et al, 1998).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis ('femoral head necrosis') of broiler chickens: A review

McNamee¹,

Smyth²

2000

Avian Pathology

139

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Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) in chickens was first reported in 1972 and is now recognized as an important cause of lameness in broiler chickens. Recent systematic studies of causes of lameness in birds reared in Northern Ireland have shown that it was the most common cause of lameness, being present in 17.3% of lame birds. Furthermore, it was also detected in birds presented as "found dead". Overall losses in male birds due to BCO were estimated to be 0.75% of all birds placed, which, in addition to welfare concerns, represents considerable economic loss. The disease has been seen in birds ranging from 14 to 70 days of age, but most cases occurred around 35 days old. It is most commonly caused by Staphylococcus aureus, but Escherichia coli, coagulase-negativ e staphylococci and Enterococcus spp. are sometimes involved, as are, rarely, other bacteria. The lesions are most commonly found associated with the growth plates of long bones, particularly the proximal growth plate of the femur and tibiotarsus, but other bones may also be affected. Since lesions were visible to the naked eye in only 40 to 67% of cases, histological examination is recommended where no lesions are visible macroscopically. As the lesion may be present in only one growth plate, and because histological examination is often not carried out, BCO is almost certainly underdiagnosed. The exact pathogenesis of the condition is unknown, but it is thought that adherence of blood-borne bacteria to exposed cartilage at the tips of metaphyseal blood vessels is fundamental. Under controlled experimental conditions, infection of birds with the immunosuppressive viruses chicken anaemia virus and infectious bursal disease virus increased the incidence of the disease, while restricting feed intake reduced the incidence of disease. S. aureus strains identical to, or closely related to, isolates recovered from naturally occurring cases of the disease (as determined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis) have been recovered from fluff-debris in hatcheries, and also from the environment of breeding flocks, indicating that infection in the breeding farm and in the hatchery could be an important source of infection. It has also been shown that humans can carry poultry strains of S. aureus on their hands. There is a higher incidence of BCO in birds hatched from floor eggs. Thus, hygiene and management practice on breeder farms and in the hatchery may influence the occurrence of the disease. Bacteraemia is a prerequisite for BCO. Indeed, in some flocks suffering losses due to BCO, there are also losses due to staphylococcal septicaemia. Thus, appropriate treatment of affected flocks should reduce losses due to septicaemia. It should also reduce the occurrence of bacteraemia and the development of further cases of BCO. However, birds in which BCO has already developed, are unlikely to respond to treatment. Control of BCO by vaccination seems unlikely in the short term. Simple bacterins have not been effective and much basic research is needed to i...

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Other Bacterial Diseases

2013

Diseases of Poultry

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Staphylococcal necrosis of the head of the femur in broiler chickens

Cited by 25 publications

References 7 publications

Staphylococcosis in captive exotic waterfowl

Staphylococcosis in captive exotic waterfowl

Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis ('femoral head necrosis') of broiler chickens: A review

Other Bacterial Diseases

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