Salpingitis in poultry. II. Prevalence, bacteriology, and possible pathogenesis in egg-laying chickens

Among 116,886 egg-laying chickens slaughtered 438 (0.37%) were condemned because of salpingitis (Table I). Profuse growth of a single bacterial species was demonstrated in 96 out of 150 randomly selected cases of salpingitis (Table II). E. coli was isolated from 64 cases (43%). P. haemolytica, Pr. mirabilis and P. gallinarum occurred next most frequently, and made up 26 cases. Staph. aureus, Str. faecalis and Moraxella sp. finally accounted for six cases. A mixed flora was demonstrated in 16 cases (11%) while unspecific growth or no growth was recorded in 38 cases (25%). The bacteriological findings in cases of salpingitis in egg-laying chickens routinely received for post mortem examination were in accordance with the findings above in carcasses condemned because of salpingitis, except in a single case in which Bact. fragilis was obtained in pure culture. Salmonella spp. could not be demonstrated. No correlation could be demonstrated between the nature of the pathological changes and the bacteriological findings. Nineteen different O-groups of E. coli were found, O2 being the one occurring most frequently (Table III). Changing the environment from a floor type with bedding to cages or sloping wire floor without bedding does not seem to have resulted in a change of bacterial species associated with salpingitis in egg-laying chickens. The food-hygienic implications of salpingitis seem to be the same for laying hens as for broilers.