Necrotic enteritis predisposing factors in broiler chickens.

Necrotic enteritis predisposing factors in broiler chickens. Avian Pathol. 2016 Feb 29;:1-22 Authors: Moore RJ Abstract Necrotic enteritis in chickens develops as a result of infection with pathogenic strains of Clostridium perfringens and the presence of pre-disposing factors. Pre-disposing factors include elements that directly change the physical properties of the gut, either damaging the epithelial surface, inducing mucus production, or changing gut transit times; factors that disrupt the gut microbiota; and factors that alter the immune status of birds. In the past research into necrotic enteritis predisposing factors was directed by the simple hypothesis that low level colonization of C. perfringens commonly occurred within the gut of healthy chickens and the predisposing factors lead to a proliferation of those bacteria to produce disease. More recently, with an increasing understanding of the major virulence factors of C. perfringens and the application of molecular techniques to define different clades of C. perfringens strains, it has become clear that the C. perfringens isolates commonly found in healthy chickens are generally not strains that have the potential to cause disease. Therefore, we need to re-evaluate hypotheses regarding the development of disease, the origin of disease causing isolates of C. perfringens, and the importance of interactions with other C. perfringens strains and with predisposing factors. Many p...
Source: Avian Pathology - Category: Pathology Authors: Tags: Avian Pathol Source Type: research