Escherichia coli as a Complicating Factor in Chronic Respiratory Disease of Chickens and Infectious Sinusitis of Turkeys

DURING the past few years it has been observed that the usual chronic respiratory disease of chickens (CRD) and infectious sinusitis (IS) of turkeys has been complicated by fibrinous periphepatitis, pericarditis, and aerosacculitis. Losses when this complication occurs range from less than one to over 40 percent and many birds become difficult to finish for market. The disease can occur in any age group but usually occurs between 6 and 11 weeks of age. Salpingitis, peritonitis and hypopyon have been observed in association with the pericarditis. Wasserman et al. (1954) reported that Escherichia coli was isolated from 22 of 22 birds with pericarditis. Of 14 attempts at virus isolation from these cases, infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) was isolated from nine; the CRD agent from two, Newcastle disease virus (NDV) from one, and two were negative. Fahey (1955) reports that various bacteria and other diseases are associated with this condition. Pericarditis …