Introduction

An infection of ducks, other poultry, wild birds, rodents and man with the bacterium Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. The disease has a mortality of 5-75%.

Signs

• Weakness.
• Ruffled feathers.
• Diarrhoea.
• Sometimes sudden death.

Post-mortem lesions

• Miliary lesions in a variety of organs but especially in the liver. In peracute disease the only lesion may be enteritis.

Diagnosis

Lesions, isolation. Differentiate from Duck viral enteritis, duck viral hepatitis, colibacillosis, coccidiosis, tuberculosis.

Treatment

Tetracyclines.

Prevention

Good husbandry and hygiene, adequate protection, 'hardening off', sulphonamides in feed.