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A L O H M A N N A N I M A L H E A LT H N E W S B R I E F
Vaccination to Control
Fowl Cholera in Commercial Poultry
Vaccines are
effective against
fowl cholera,
but of equal, or
perhaps greater
By John R. Glisson, DVM,
importance, is MAM, PhD, Poultry Diagnostic
and Research Center,
Department of Population Health
rodent control. College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia 30602
Fowl cholera is
a disease that Pasteurella multocida is the
etiologic agent of fowl cholera,
gets out of an acute or chronic bacterial
septicemia of chickens, turkeys,
control because quail, ducks, and other birds.
The acute disease is character-
of improper ized by high mortality. Lesions
in affected birds may be totally
hygiene and unapparent or consist of an
enlarged liver and spleen,
inadequate petechial hemorrhages on
internal organs or fibrinopuru-
rodent control. lent pneumonia. Mortality in
the chronic disease is normally
much lower and lesions may
consist of purulent arthritis,
encephalitis, osteomyelitis,
inside Vaccination to Control
Fowl Cholera in
Commercial Poultry, p.1
Se p t e m b e r 2 0 0 9
peritonitis, pneumonia, or
swollen wattles filled with
caseated exudate.
Pasteurella multocida is not
a normal organism found in
poultry houses. The organism
is, however, a common inhabit-
ant of the oral cavity of many
animals including rats, mice,
cats, and dogs, as well as many
species of wild animals. It is felt
that the initial introduction of
P. multocida into a poultry house
is by one of these animals,
particularly rodents and cats.
It is therefore very important to
maintain a hygiene program
that minimizes contact between
rodents, cats, and poultry. The
single-most important measure
for controlling fowl cholera may
be rodent control.
Many companies use cats
inside breeder houses to control
rodents; and, in some instances,
this program is successful. The
P. multocida isolates that are
typically isolated from cats are
not typical of the isolates that
infect chickens. However,
once a P. multocida strain that
Accidental Self-Injec-
tion of Oil Emulsion
Vaccines, p.3
| Volu me 3
is pathogenic for poultry is
introduced into a flock, the
cats, as well as the poultry, will
become contaminated and the
cats will then become a reservoir
for the organism. In this situation,
it is important to get rid of the
cats before a new breeder flock
is brought to that house.
Currently, fowl cholera remains
one of the most important
bacterial diseases of chickens
and turkeys. In many companies,
fowl cholera is the most costly
disease of broiler breeders. Most
broiler breeders in the United
States are vaccinated. Turkeys
appear to be more suscep-
tible to the disease, and it has
caused serious losses to several
companies in recent years.
By instituting strict biosecurity
measures and good hygiene
procedures, many turkey
companies have been able to
eliminate vaccination in commer-
cial turkeys on particular farms
in certain geographic locations.
However, vaccination of
commercial turkeys and turkey
breeders is still practiced.
Notes from the
CEO, p.4
Pasteurella multocida is the etiologic
agent of fowl cholera, an acute or
chronic bacterial septicemia of chick-
ens, turkeys, quail, ducks, and other
birds. The acute disease is charac-
terized by high mortality. Lesions in
affected birds may be totally unapparent
or consist of an
enlarged liver and spleen,
petechial hemorrhages on internal or-
gans or fibrinopurulent pneumonia. Mor-
tality in the chronic disease is normally
much lower and lesions may consist of
purulent arthritis,
encephalitis, osteomyelitis,
peritonitis, pneumonia, or
swollen wattles filled with
caseated exudate.
Pasteurella multocida is not
a normal organism found in
poultry houses. The organism is, how-
ever, a common inhabitant of the oral
cavity of many animals including rats,
mice, cats, and dogs, as well as many
species of wild animals. It is felt that the
initial introduction of
P. multocida into a poultry house is
by one of these animals, particularly
rodents and cats. It is therefore very
important to maintain a hygiene pro-
gram that minimizes contact between
rodents, cats, and poultry. The single-
most important measure for controlling
fowl cholera may be rodent control.
Many companies use cats inside
breeder houses to control rodents; and,
in some instances, this program is suc-
cessful. The P. multocida isolates that
are typically isolated from cats are not
typical of the isolates that infect chick-
ens. However,
once a P. multocida strain that
is pathogenic for poultry is
introduced into a flock, the cats, as well
as the poultry, will become contami-
nated and the cats will then become
a reservoir for the organism. In this situa-
tion, it is important to get rid of the cats
before a new breeder flock is brought to
that house.
Currently, fowl cholera remains one of
the most important
bacterial diseases of chickens and
turkeys. In many companies,
fowl cholera is the most costly disease
of broiler breeders. Most broiler breed-
ers in the United States are vaccinated.
Turkeys appear to be more suscep-
tible to the disease, and it has caused
serious losses to several companies in
recent years.
By instituting strict biosecurity measures
and good hygiene procedures, many
turkey
companies have been able to eliminate
vaccination in commercial turkeys on
particular farms
in certain geographic locations.
However, vaccination of
commercial turkeys and turkey breeders
is still practiced.
To understand the principles of fowl
cholera vaccination, it is important to
also understand the relevance of the
serotyping system for P. multocida.
There are 16 serotypes of P. multocida,
numbered 1-16. Many isolates have
characteristics of more than one sero-
type. For example, serotype 3, 4 has
characteristics of serotype 3 and sero-
type 4. The most common serotypes
encountered in poultry are 1, 3, and
4 or combinations of those serotypes,
such as 1, 3 or 3, 4. In recent surveys,
serotype 3, 4 has often been found to
be the most common serotype isolated
from both chickens and turkeys.
Inactivated fowl cholera vaccines (bac-
terins), induce protection only against
the serotypes of the isolates included
in the bacterin. Since it is impractical to
include all P. multocida serotypes in a
bacterin and since only a few serotypes
commonly cause disease in poultry,
most commercially available fowl cholera
bacterins contain serotypes, 1, 3 and 4.
These products, therefore, provide pro-
tection against only serotypes 1, 3, and
4, but work well in some cases since
these are the most important serotypes
in commercial poultry. Since serotype 3,
4 is so common in our industry, bac-
terins are now available that contain a
serotype 3, 4 isolate. These products
provide an improvement in protection
against virulent serotype 3, 4 isolates.
In contrast, live P. multocida vaccines
give broad protection against many
serotypes, and all of the live vaccines
are serotype 3, 4. There are three
commercially available live vaccines, the
Clemson University (CU) strain, PM-1,
and M-9. CU is the most virulent, M-9 is
the mildest, and PM-1 is intermediate in
virulence. These products can be used
orally in turkeys but must be injected by
wing-web stab in chickens. Also, the
live vaccines spread from bird-to-bird
more easily in turkeys than chickens.
Although these products provide broad
protection, they also have the capability
to induce chronic fowl cholera.
Autogenous bacterins are a third type
of vaccine used to control fowl cholera.
Autogenous bacterins are custom-
manufactured inactivated vaccines
which contain an isolate(s) that
originated from a case of fowl cholera
on a particular farm or complex and their
use is restricted to that particular site.
Often, companies find that certain farms
or complexes continually have cases
of fowl cholera caused by unusual
serotypes such as 7 or 12. Autog-
To understand the principles of fowl
cholera vaccination, it is important to
also understand the relevance of the
serotyping system for P. multocida.
There are 16 serotypes of P. multocida,
numbered 1-16. Many isolates have
characteristics of more than one sero-
type. For example, serotype 3, 4 has
characteristics of serotype 3 and sero-
type 4. The most common serotypes
encountered in poultry are 1, 3, and
4 or combinations of those serotypes,
such as 1, 3 or 3, 4. In recent surveys,
serotype 3, 4 has often been found to
be the most common serotype isolated
from both chickens and turkeys.
Inactivated fowl cholera vaccines (bac-
terins), induce protection only against
the serotypes of the isolates included
in the bacterin. Since it is impractical
to include all P. multocida serotypes in
a bacterin and since only a few se-
rotypes commonly cause disease in
poultry, most commercially available
fowl cholera bacterins contain sero-
types, 1, 3 and 4. These products,
therefore, provide protection against
only serotypes 1, 3, and 4, but work
well in some cases since these are the
most important serotypes in commer-
cial poultry. Since serotype 3, 4 is so
common in our industry, bacterins are
now available that contain a serotype
3, 4 isolate. These products provide
an improvement in protection against
virulent serotype 3, 4 isolates.
In contrast, live P. multocida vaccines
give broad protection against many
serotypes, and all of the live vaccines
are serotype 3, 4. There are three
commercially available live vaccines,
the Clemson University (CU) strain,
PM-1, and M-9. CU is the most
virulent, M-9 is the mildest, and PM-1
is intermediate in virulence. These prod-
Accidental Self-Injection of Oil Emulsion Vaccines
ucts can be used orally in turkeys but
must be injected by wing-web stab
in chickens. Also, the live vaccines
spread from bird-to-bird more easily in
turkeys than chickens. Although these
products provide broad protection,
they also have the capability to induce
chronic fowl cholera.
Autogenous bacterins are a third
type of vaccine used to control fowl
cholera. Autogenous bacterins are
custom-
manufactured inactivated vaccines
which contain an isolate(s) that
originated from a case of fowl cholera
on a particular farm or complex and
their use is restricted to that particu-
lar site. Often, companies find that
certain farms or complexes continually
have cases of fowl cholera caused by
unusual serotypes such as 7 or 12.
Autogenous bacterins are often used
in such circumstances. Several labo-
ratories are available to make autog-
enous fowl cholera bacterins but there
are restrictions on their manufacture
and use. The USDA requires that the
isolate(s) in an autogenous bacte-
rin must originate from flocks of the
company in which the bacterin will be
used. Also, autogenous bacterins can-
not be combined in the same bottle
with a USDA licensed fowl cholera
bacterin. Use of autogenous bacter-
ins allows companies to protect their
flocks against serotypes that are not
included in the conventional bacterins.
Many companies that use autogenous
bacterins also inject their flocks with a
commercially licensed bacterin so that
their flocks are also protected against
the most common serotypes.
There are several strategies for suc-
cessful vaccination of broiler breeders.
One common program is the use of
two doses of bacterin at 8-12 weeks
and 16-20 weeks. The bacterins may
be the commercially available tri-valent
bacterin, a commercial tri-valent bac-
terin that also contains a serotype 3,
4 isolate or an autogenous bacterin.
The programs that use commercial
bacterins with the 3, 4 isolate have
the advantages of the conventional
bacterin programs with the addition of
more protection directed at serotype
3, 4. Many companies want to gain
the broad protection provided by live
P. multocida vaccines but also want
to avoid the possibility of live vaccine-
induced chronic fowl cholera. Giving a
dose of commercial tri-valent bacterin
or tri-valent bacterin that also contains
serotype 3, 4 at the first vaccination
time, followed by a live vaccination at
16-20 weeks, can greatly reduce live
vaccine-induced chronic fowl cholera.
Bacterins which contain serotype 3, 4
have been particularly useful in this
situation because they specifically
provide immunity which helps to
minimize the bacteremia (reaction)
often seen following wing-web injection
of live fowl cholera vaccines.
Local tissue reaction at the site of
injection of fowl cholera bacterins has
been a problem for some companies.
Because the USDA downgrades hen
carcasses containing lesions in the
breast muscle resulting from injection
of fowl cholera bacterins, many com-
panies are hesitant to inject inactivated
vaccines into the breast. Unfortunately,
intramuscular breast injection is a very
accurate application site for inactivated
Notes from the CEO
Each serial of AviPro® avian vaccine
undergoes rigorous laboratory and
animal testing after manufacturing.
These assays assure you of safety,
purity and potency. The testing can
take from 60 days for live vaccines
and up to six months for inactivated
vaccines. For inactivated products
such as our fowl cholera bacterins,
challenge of susceptible birds versus
Dave Zacek
CEO, vaccinates is required in both
Lohmann Animal Health chickens and turkeys.
Our AviPro® 108 FC4, for example, requires type 1 Pasteurella
tested in chickens; types 3, 4 and 3X4 in turkeys. Hence, we
require vaccinates and controls for each type. This means two
groups of chickens and six groups of turkeys. All vaccinates
must show the required protection level and all challenged
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for more information:
birds the appropriate signs of infection (death) for the serial
to achieve release. Since each group must be isolated, it
takes eight isolated groups for the four months required for
the assay completion.
To retain the leadership role we have achieved with inactivated
avian vaccines, we are investing significant funds in expansion
and modernization of our vast testing facility. This work is
essential to assure the industry of LAH’s commitment to ensuring
the availability of quality inactivated avian vaccines for the future.
When you use AviPro® vaccines, you can be sure each and
every serial has passed all USDA and company-required tests
for purity, potency and safety before being delivered to you
for use. As your avian professional partner, our goal is to help
you meet and exceed your production goals by providing the
most reliable, efficient and effective poultry health products in
the industry.
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375 China Road
800.655.1342 207.873.3989
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