Colibacillosis is a common systemic disease of economic importance
in poultry and occurs worldwide. Escherichia coli infection occurs
as an acute fatal septicemia or subacute pericarditis and
airsacculitis, as well as perihepatitis, arthritis, and also
cellulitis. Among bacterial infections, colibacillosis is very
often the first cause of morbidity and mortality in poultry. Large
numbers of E. coli are maintained in the poultry house environment
through fecal contamination. Systemic infection occurs when large
numbers of pathogenic E. coli gain access to the bloodstream via
the respiratory tract or intestine. Bacteremia progresses to
septicemia and death, or the infection extends to serosal surfaces,
pericardium, joints and other organs. Uncontrolled, avian E. coli
represents a serious animal welfare concern and risk to public
health as it is a zoonotic organism with avian E. coli species
known to adapt to humans.
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