BACTERIAL ENTERITIDES OF POULTRY

Enteric bacterial infections in poultry pose a threat to intestinal he alth and can contribute to poor feed efficiency and livability of a fl ock. A variety of enteric bacterial diseases are recognized in poultry . Three of these bacterial diseases, necrotic enteritis, ulcerative en teritis, and spirochetosis, primarily infect the intestine, whereas ot her bacterial diseases, such as salmonellosis, colibacillosis, mycobac teriosis, erysipelas, and fowl cholera, affect a variety of organ syst ems in addition to the intestine. Diagnosis of bacterial enteritis req uires monitoring of clinical signs in the flock and proper use of diag nostic methods such as necropsy, histopathology, bacteriology, and ser ology.