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Fowl Cholera (Pasteurella multocida): Acute Septicemia & Lesions

Scientific manual covering Pasteurella multocida capsule serotypes, acute vascular collapse, dark swollen wattles, and bacterin prophylaxis.

Scientific Overview

Fowl Cholera is a contagious bacterial disease of poultry caused by Pasteurella multocida. It manifests in acute form as fatal septicemia with sudden high mortality, or in chronic form as localized fibrinous infections of wattles, hock joints, and cranial air spaces.

Etiology & Capsule Serotypes (A, D, F)

Fowl Cholera is defined as a bacterial infection caused by Pasteurella multocida, a Gram-negative facultatively anaerobic bipolar-staining coccobacillus. Capsule types A and F are most prevalent in poultry outbreaks.

Reservoirs include wild waterfowl, rodents, cats, and asymptomatic carrier birds. Transmission occurs via oral ingestions or aerosol droplets.

Acute vs Chronic Pathological Lesions

Necropsy findings vary dramatically by disease phase:

  • Acute Septicemic Form: Birds found dead without prior symptoms. Widespread petechial hemorrhages on epicardial fat, proventriculus, and serosal membranes. Liver is enlarged with pinpoint greyish-white necrotic foci.
  • Chronic Localized Form: Dark, swollen, hot wattles containing cheesy caseous exudate; purulent arthritis of hock joints and middle ear infections causing torticollis.

Treatment & Bacterin Immunization

Antibiotics (Penicillin, Tetracycline, Sulfamethazine) lower mortality during acute outbreaks. Preventive control relies on rodent control and inactivated oil-emulsion P. multocida bacterins administered at 8 and 12 weeks of age.

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Fowl Cholera (Pasteurella multocida): Acute Septicemia & Lesions — Frequently Asked Questions

What is Fowl Cholera in chickens? expand_more
Fowl Cholera is a bacterial septicemia caused by Pasteurella multocida, causing sudden high mortality, liver necrosis, petechial hemorrhages, and swollen wattles.
What does bipolar staining mean in Pasteurella multocida? expand_more
Bipolar staining refers to the microscopic appearance of Pasteurella multocida when stained with Wright's or Giemsa stain, where the two ends of the rod-shaped bacterium stain darker than the center.
How is Fowl Cholera controlled on farms? expand_more
Control requires strict rodent control (rats/mice are major vectors), biosecurity, and vaccinating pullets with inactivated P. multocida bacterins.
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Related Pathologies & Differential Diagnosis

bar_chart View Pathology Infographic →

Differential diagnostic screening: Cross-reference clinical lesions and flock symptoms against these closely associated avian pathologies:

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Gross necropsy of chicken liver showing classic multifocal pinpoint white necrotic foci across dark congested parenchyma ('starry sky' liver) biotech Clinical Pathology
Clinical Pathology: Fowl Cholera (Pasteurella multocida) Multifocal Liver Necrosis • Photo: Hassan Iraqui & Dr. Lucien Mahin, DVM • CC BY-SA 3.0

Related Calculators

Scientific Literature

  • Huang et al. (2009). Antimicrobial susceptibility and resistance of Pasteurella multocida isolates. Avian Diseases, 53, 216.
  • Thøfner & Christensen (2021). Bacterial diseases in poultry. Veterinary Manual Series.
  • Diseases of Poultry, 14th Edition (David E. Swayne et al., 2020).