Diseases / List of Bacterial Diseases / Disease description:
Necrotising Enteritis in Waterfowl

INFORMATION AVAILABLE

GENERAL INFORMATION

CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS & PATHOLOGY

INVESTIGATION & DIAGNOSIS

TREATMENT & CONTROL

SUSCEPTIBILITY & TRANSMISSION

ENVIRONMENT & GEOGRAPHY

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General and References

Disease Summary
WATERFOWL Acute disease, sporadic or in outbreaks, Characterized by post mortem findings of necrotic or haemorrhagic enteritis.

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Alternative Names (Synonyms)
  • Haemorrhagic enteritis
  • Necrotic enteritis
  • Necrohaemorrhagic enteritis
  • Clostridial enteritis
  • 'Rot gut'

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Disease Type
 Bacterial Infection

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Infectious/Non-Infectious Agent associated with the Disease
Clostridium perfringens, usually Type C. N.B. Causative agent not always identified: disease may sometimes be due to other agents (B15). Synonyms: Bacillus perfringens, Bacterium welchii, Clostridium welchii, Bacillus aerogenes capsulatus.

Infective "Taxa"

Non-infective agents

 --

Physical agents

 -- Indirect / Secondary

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References

Disease Author

 Debra Bourne
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Major References / Reviews

Code and Title List

 B10.26.w10, B13.46.w1, B15, B36.12.w12
J1.23.w1
J2.14.w2
J7.S1.w4
J13.34.w1
J36.44.w1

Other References

Code and Title List

 --

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Clinical Characteristics and Pathology

Detailed Clinical and Pathological Characteristics

General

 WATERFOWL Depression, inappetance and sudden death; necrotic and/or haemorrhagic enteritis.

Clinical Characteristics

 WATERFOWL Depression, weakness, reluctance to move, no attempt at flight in wild birds, inappetance, sometimes whitish-to greyish watery diarrhoea or red-black excreta. Sudden death: may be found dead without previous clinical signs. Decreased egg production. (J1.23.w1, J2.14.w2, J13.34.w1, J36.44.w1, B13.46.w1, B15, B36.12.w12).

Incubation

 WATERFOWL Acute disease (J36.44.w1).

Mortality / Morbidity

 WATERFOWL Variable mortality: from less than 1% to 40% (B15).

Pathology

 WATERFOWL Gross Pathology:
  • General - Good body condition.
  • Gastro-intestinal tract - necrotic enteritis affecting the small intestine, particularly the ileum. Small intestine may be swollen, turgid and friable. Hyperaemia and discolouration, haemorrhages, thick inflammatory exudate, serosanguinous fluid or blood in lumen (early in disease), muco-necrotic or fibrino-necrotic tan-yellow material in the lumen, sometimes adherent to the mucosa (later). Contents may have a characteristic foul smell. Whole grains may be present along the intestine.

Also, variably:

  • Liver - acute hepatitis, pale, congested or mottled, enlarged.
  • Spleen - pale, mottled
  • Respiratory - congestion or haemorrhages.
  • Subcutis - sometimes congestion or haemorrhages.
    (J2.14.w2, J13.34.w1, B13.46.w1, B15).

Histopathology

  • Gastro-intestinal tract - Loss of epithelial cells from villi (mucosal desquamation) early in disease, with mononuclear cell infiltrate; acute haemorrhagic enteritis. Large gram-positive bacteria may be seen on surface and within necrotic villi and within necrotic casts.

Also, variably:

  • Liver - acute hepatitis. Perivascular cuffing, some bile duct proliferation.
  • Spleen - lymphoid cell reduction
  • Kidney - glomerulonephritis
  • Respiratory - pulmonary haemorrhage

(J1.23.w1, J2.14.w1, J7.S1.w4, J13.34.w1, B15, B36.12.w12).

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Human Health Considerations
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Susceptibility / Transmission

General information on Susceptibility / Transmission
WATERFOWL
  • Transmission:
    Probably ingestion. May be associated with soil contamination (J2.14.w2, B10.26.w10).
  • Susceptibility:
    Most common in breeder ducks, although also seen in free-living and captive non-domestic waterfowl. Stress predisposes (B13.46.w1, B15).

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Disease has been reported in either the wild or in captivity in:
  • Domestic breeder ducks, Mallard Anas platyrhynchos, American black duck Anas rubripes, Canada goose Branta canadensis (J13.34.w1, B15, B36.12.w12).
  • Canada goose Branta canadensis, snow goose Anser caerulescens, Ross's goose Anser rossii and white-fronted goose Anser albifrons (J1.23.w1, B15, B36.12.w12).
  • Brahminy duck (Ruddy shelduck) Tadorna (Tadorna) ferruginea (J2.14.w2).
  • Swans (mute swan Cygnus olor or Whooper swan Cygnus cygnus) in Scotland (J36.44.w1).
  • Trumpeter swans Cygnus buccinator in Minnesota, USA, being treated for lead poisoning (J7.S1.w4).
  • Tundra swans Cygnus columbianus in the USA (J7.S1.w5).

Host Species List

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Disease has been specifically reported in Free-ranging populations of:
  • Mallard Anas platyrhynchos, American black duck Anas rubripes, Canada goose Branta canadensis (J13.34.w1, B15, B36.12.w12).
  • Canada goose Branta canadensis, snow goose Anser caerulescens and white-fronted goose Anser albifrons (B15, B36.12.w12).
  • Swans (mute swan Cygnus olor or Whooper swan Cygnus cygnus) in Scotland (J36.44.w1).
  • Tundra swans Cygnus columbianus in the USA (J7.S1.w5).

Host Species List

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Environment/Geography
General Information on Environmental Factors/Events and Seasonality
  • Most often recorded in late autumn (fall) and winter in breeder ducks (J13.34.w1).
  • Presence of swimming-water transferring between pens may enhance transmission (J13.34.w1).
  • May be associated with diet changes linked to season and migration in wild waterfowl, for example change from summer diet in Arctic to agricultural grains during migration southwards (J1.23.w1, B15, B36.12.w12).

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Regions / Countries where the Infectious Agent or Disease has been recorded

India, Canada, USA, UK (J2.14.w2, J36.44.w1, B15).

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Regions / Countries where the Infectious Agent or Disease has been recorded in Free-ranging populations

North America, UK (J36.44.w1, B15).

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General Investigation / Diagnosis

General Information on Investigation / Diagnosis
WATERFOWL Post mortem findings of necrotic/haemorrhagic enteritis; presence of large numbers of large gram-positive bacteria in association with lesions, bacterial isolation and characterization of Clostridium perfringens. Testing for toxigenic status of Clostridium perfringens if possible (J1.23.w1, J13.34.w1, J36.44.w1, B10.26.w10, B13.46.w1, B15).
Related Techniques
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Similar Diseases (Differential Diagnosis)
WATERFOWL --

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Treatment and Control

Specific Medical Treatment
WATERFOWL --
Related Techniques

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General Nursing and Surgical Techniques
WATERFOWL --
Related Techniques

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Preventative Measures
Vaccination WATERFOWL --
Prophylactic Treatment

WATERFOWL
  • Oyxtetracycline in water at 50mg/ml (J2.14.w2).
  • Neomycin sulphate 0.02% (200gm per ton) in feed for 2-3 weeks (B10.26.w10, B13.46.w1).
Related Techniques
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Environmental and Population  Control Measures
General Environment Changes, Cleaning and Disinfection

WATERFOWL
  • Reduce stress (B13.46.w1).
  • Improve sanitation, move to clean environment if possible (J2.14.w2, B10.26.w10).
Population Control Measures WATERFOWL --
Isolation, Quarantine and Screening WATERFOWL --
Related Techniques
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