Occurrence of Pseudomonas aerusinosa infection in the broilers in Korea

Pseudomonas aerusinosa infection was diagnosed in broiler chicks, and was submitted to the National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service in Korea. The total mortality rate was about 1,500 birds out of 22,000 broilers. Clinically, affected birds showed clinical signs including depression and anorexia with lameness and trembling of the leg. At necropsy, the dead broilers appeared to have omphalitis, yolk sac infection, fibrinous epicarditis, and fibrinous exudates in liver with swollen hock joint. Microscopically, there were multiple necrotic foci in the liver, fibrinous exudates in the heart, and infiltration of heterophils into the joint spaces of the hock joint. Pseudomonas aerusinosa was isolated from the heart, liver and hock joint, and the isolate was named P-200. In effort to estimate the virulence of P-200, 1-day-old chicks were challenged intramuscularly and intrayolksacally with the isolate. On the basis of mortality rate, the isolate P-200 was found to be highly virulent. This is the first report of an occurrence of Pseudomonas aerusinosa infection in broilers in Korea.