O. rhinotracheale -- control via breeder vaccination?

摘要

Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale is a relatively new bacterium associated with poultry diseases. Initially this bacterium was seen as pasteurella like but in 1994 the name Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale was suggested for this species. O. rhinotracheale is now often referred to as ORT. In the last decade more has become known about the impact O. rhinotracheale can have on poultry. It has been found that this bacterium can cause problems other than the generally well known respiratory ones it is associated with. It has also been found that the incidence of O. rhinotracheale infections is far higher than expected and that poultry producers are not always aware that O. rhinotracheale can be the cause of economic losses due to increased mortality, increased condemnation at slaughter, lower performances or decreased egg production and egg quality. The presence of O. rhinotracheale in commercial poultry and also in wild birds has been shown to be worldwide, meaning that there is a broad potential reservoir. All over the world, maternally derived antibodies against O. rhinotracheale can be detected in eggs and day-old chicks. Several surveys showed that the majority of chicken and turkey flocks in Europe, Africa, North and South America and some Asian countries have been in contact with O. rhinotracheale. Up to now this important new agent has been isolated from chicken, chukar partridge, duck, goose, guinea fowl, gull, ostrich, partridge, pheasant, pigeon, quail, rook and turkey.