Etio-pathological studies on poultry mortality with reference to E. coli infections

The study was conducted on 100 carcasses of poultry brought to Department of Veterinary Pathology, LLRUVAS (erstwhile part of CCSHAU) for the postmortem examination. The isolated Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains belonged to 11 different serotypes O25 (7), O45 (5), O60 (5), O76 (17), O78 (7), O84 (5), O109 (8), O116 (3), O119 (6), O120 (5), rough (9) and UT (9). Most of E. coli isolates were found to be most sensitive against amikacin (88.53%) followed by cephaloridine (82.35%), neomycin (73.52%), nitrofurantoin (61.76%). Gross and histopathological studies revealed thick fibrinous layer on all the visceral organs, cloudy air sacs, necrotic foci on the liver, severe enteritis, omphalitis, fibrinous perihepatitis, perivasculitis, goblet cell hyperplasia, reticuloendothelial cell hyperplasia, pericarditis and myocarditis.