Organic egg farms face rising bacterial disease threat, study finds
A 25-year analysis of poultry erysipelas outbreaks reveals the disease disproportionately strikes organic and free-range laying hen operations, with farmers often facing diagnostic confusion against viral infections. The findings underscore biosecurity vulnerabilities in premium egg production systems and highlight the need for faster, more precise diagnostic tools to prevent costly flock losses.
Originaltitel: Poultry erysipelas – a case series from 1998–2023, highlighting diagnostic features, farmer interventions and molecular epidemiology
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Erysipelas is an important differential diagnosis of severe viral diseases.Most of the outbreaks occurred in organic and free-range laying hen flocks.Pre-enrichment or selective culture is useful in case of suspected co-infection.Isolates from temporally clustered outbreaks on a farm are often clonal.