Pasteurellosis in bobwhite quail

A flock of 5000 six-week-old bobwhite quails (Colinus virginianus) experienced high mortality (52%) over a 2-day period. Mortality was 99% within a 6-day period. Clinical signs were depression followed shortly by death. Gross lesions observed in dead quails were congested lungs and, in a few cases, mottled livers. Histopathologic examination revealed severe, diffuse, heterophilic interstitial pneumonia and multifocal areas of hepatic and splenic necrosis with numerous intracellular and extracellular short bacterial rods. Serotype 3, 4, 15, 16, Pasteurella multocida, isolated from the index case, caused 50% mortality in experimentally inoculated bobwhite quails within 9 to 24 hours. This report indicates that pasteurellosis can cause peracute disease in bobwhite quails with very high mortality.