COLISEPTICAEMIA IN A 6-WEEKS-OLD BROILER FLOCK: A CASE REPORT

Avian colibacillosis is considered to be a major bacterial disease in the poultry industry
worldwide. It is an infectious disease of birds caused by Escherichia coli, which is considered a
cause of morbidity and mortality with associated economic losses to the poultry industry.
Colibacillosis of poultry is characterized in its acute form as colisepticaemia, resulting in death.
Two carcasses of six-week-old broilers were presented to the avian clinic of the Veterinary
Teaching Hospital, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, with a complaint of sudden death
observed overnight. Postmortem findings revealed dirty and moist feathers, congested breast
and thigh muscles, haemorrhagic trachea, empty crop, cloudy air sacs; the heart was congested
and covered with fibrin deposit, the liver was also enlarged and covered with fibrin, the tarsometatarsal joint was swollen, and the caecal tonsils were congested. Haemorrhagic intestines
and cheesy exudate were seen on the peritoneum. Samples were taken from the heart, liver, and
intestines, and the bacteriology result revealed Escherichia coli. The sudden death observed,
coupled with necropsy lesions and laboratory results obtained, confirmed colisepticaemia in the
flock. The flock was treated with enrofloxacin oral solution and vitalyte powder, and the birds
recovered.