Identification of Pasteurella multocida CHAPS-Soluble Outer Membrane Proteins

Retrospective Study of Pasteurella multocida Diagnosed in Commercial Turkeys Submitted to California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System; 1991-2017

Fowl cholera is caused by the bacterium Pasteurella multocida and is known to cause significant economic losses in the commercial turkey industry. Four hundred and thirty cases of P. multocida in commercial turkeys, submitted to the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System (CAHFS) from January 1, 1991, to December 31, 2017, were analyzed. Records examined included CAHFS branch location, date of submission, clinical signs, company and premise of origin, age and sex of submitted turkeys, macroscopic findings, organs in which P. multocida was isolated, and serotype and fingerprint information. Increased mortality as high as 1200 birds per day was the most common complaint at submission, with acute septicemic lesions observed in the majority of cases. The mean age of turkeys diagnosed with fowl cholera was 14 wk, with a median age of 17 wk. Cases most frequently occurred from September to November, with 36% of cases occurring during this time period. Serotyping was performed in 350 cases, while fingerprinting was performed in 171 cases. Serotypes 3 and 3,4 were frequently identified in the 26-yr time period, while the fingerprints identified varied over time. Despite the decreasing population of commercial turkeys in California since the 1990s, fowl cholera continues to be an economically significant disease in this sector.

Fowl cholera and acute heart rupture in a backyard turkey

Pasteurella multocida is the causative agent of fowl cholera, an economically important disease of commercial and backyard poultry. Turkeys are particularly susceptible to fowl cholera; both backyard and commercial turkeys can succumb to disease. On April 10, 2018, a dead 9-mo-old male Bronze turkey was submitted to the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System (CAHFS)-Turlock branch for postmortem examination. History included previous housing and fighting with another male turkey, after which separation by a fence was instituted. Fighting continued, and depression and anorexia of 2 d duration was followed by acute collapse and death. At autopsy, blood clots markedly expanded the pericardium, and a tear was visible in the left ventricular free wall. Vegetative aortic valvular lesions were observed. Microscopically, infarcts were observed in kidney, liver, heart, spleen, and pancreas, with large numbers of gram-negative bacterial colonies present in most organs. P. multocida was isolated from multiple organs, and identified as serotype 2,5 and fingerprint 1604. Septic embolization from the vegetative valvular aortic lesions likely led to infarcts in multiple organs, including the left ventricular free wall, which ultimately caused weakening of the ventricular wall, ventricular rupture, and exsanguination into the pericardial space. Rupture of the left ventricular free wall has not been previously documented in turkeys with P. multocida infection, to our knowledge, and demonstrates an atypical presentation of fowl cholera in this backyard turkey.