SPIROCHETOSIS

Sohaib Ul Hassan
PhD(Scholar)
 DEFINITION

• In acute infectious disease of various species of birds caused by a spirochaete

Borrelia anserina (bacteria) and characterized by Pyrexia, anemia and cyanosis of

the head, prolong drowsiness, diarrhea, emaciation, locomotor disturbance,

progressive paralysis and death.

 INTRODUCTION

• Tick born Borreliosis of avian Spp

• Acute

• Febrile and Septicemic disease which is characterized by marked illness

• Any other disease caused by spirochetes ?

 HISTORY

First demonstrated by Sakharaff (1891) in Geese in transcaucasian

Marchous and salimbanil repored in fowl in 1903

Worldwide distribution
 ETIOLOGY

• The disease is caused by spirochete, Borrelia anserina.

• (Borrelia) causes a relapsing fever like condition in man and animals.
• Characteristics of the organism
• Flexibale bodied
• Spiral organism
• Active motile stains readily with aniline dyes
OCCURRENCE AND ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE

• Spirochetosis is widespread in tropical countries due to the prevalence of the soft-

shell tick vector Argas species. The condition is responsible for sporadic losses in

subsistence flocks and small-scale commercial units.

 SUSCEPTIBLE HOST

• Chicken
• Turkeys
• Ducks
• Geese
• pheasants and canaries.
• Young birds being more susceptible
• Two form of spirochetosis

• Systemic form (Borrelia anserina)

• Intestinal form (Brachyspira pilosicoli)

• Host :chickens, turkey, ducks, pheasants.

• Vector : Argas persicus

 TICKS

• Ixodidae (Hard ticks )

• Argasidae (Soft ticks )

• Why are these called Hard & Soft ticks ?

• Examlpes?
SOFT TICK VS HARD TICK
 TRANSMISSION

• Contact with moist droppings, blood, tissue or mucus from infected birds.
• Spread by biting insects or ticks.
• Spirochete can survive up to 430 days inside the vector but only few hour outside the
host / vector
• Ticks of the genus Argus are most frequently implicated in transmission of
spirochetosis. Studies have confirmed that mites including Dermanyssus spp
and Culex species mosquitoes may also be involved in transmission.
• Incubation Period (3-8 days)

• Mortality 10-60% in 3-15 days in post infection

• Higher (10-100%) in young birds

• Course of the disease (in acute cases 4-6 days)

• Chronic case (8-21 days)

 SIGN AND SYMPTOMS
• Depression.
• Marked increase in body temperature (110-115̊F)
• Cyanosis and jaundice.
• Thirst.
• Crouching (neck down in body)
• Diarrhea with excessive urates and greenish in color
• Weakness and progressive paralysis spreading from the extremities.
• Drops in egg production may be seen in both systemic and intestinal forms
• Clinical Signs Young birds are apparently more susceptible than older stock. Acutely
affected birds show depression with cyanosis (blue discoloration) of the head. Mortality
may attain 30% of the flock. In sub-acute and chronic cases, birds show paresis
(weakness) terminating in paralysis and death.
 POSTMORTEM LESIONS
Marked splenomegaly(4-6 times).

Spleen mottled with ecchymotic hemorrhages.

Liver enlarged with small pinpoint hemorrhages.

Mucoid/hemorrhagic enteritis.

Dehydrated, Pale, emaciated carcass

Fibrinous pericarditis and myocarditis

Kidneys are enlarged and pale

Lungs congested fibrinous exudate

SPLENOMEGALY
 CLINICAL PATHOLOGY
• Anemia

• Low PCV(27-45%)

• Low Hb (8-15 mg / 100ml of blood )

• Increased ESR (0.5-15mm/hrs)

• Increase coagulation time

 DIAGNOSIS
 clinical findings

 postmortem findings(splenomegaly, and fatty liver)

 Dark field microscopy

 serological tests (RAT, iFAT)

 Barbour-stoenner-kelly medium is used for the growth of spirochete

 Diagnosis Demonstration of the organisms in Giemsa-stained blood smears. The pathogen

can be propagated from a spleen homogenate injected into the yolk sac of embryonated
eggs at the 6th day of incubation
 TREATMENT

• Pencilline 20,000iu/bird

• Oxytetracycline 1g/ gal water

• Oxytetracycline by injection (1-2 mg/kg body weight) or chlortetracycline in

drinking water are effective

 PREVENTION
• Control ticks and other blood-sucking insects.

• Do not house clean birds where an outbreak has occurred.

• Close opening & crevices in wall and doors of farms

• Vaccination ( 8-10 wks of age )

• Prevention Eradication of vectors and dusting birds at frequent intervals with 5%

carbamate (Sevin®) powder. In some countries, locally prepared vaccines are available

but vary in efficacy