Prevalent Diseases Identified in Semi-Industrial Poultry Farming in Mali (Peri-Urban Areas of Bamako District and of Sikasso and Segou Towns)

Abstract

This study was conducted in 2003-2007 with the aim of identifying prevalent diseases in modern poultry farming in Mali. It covered 22 modern layer farms located in the suburban areas of Bamako District and of Sikasso and Segou towns. Analyses focused on a total of 536 samples, 260 sera, 254 eggs, 149 organ samples, 129 fecal samples and 4 cloacal swabs. Methods used in the study to confirm infectious diseases included histopathology, isolation in culture and biochemical or serological identification. To assess parasite loads, the Modified Mac Master Method was used. To establish a final diagnosis, epidemiological data, results of clinical, lesion and laboratory examinations were taken into account. The main diseases identified were of a viral nature: Gumboro Disease (15 cases), Newcastle Disease (16 cases), Marek Disease (6 cases), Mycoplasma (163 Mycoplasma synoviae positive sera and 49 Mycoplasma gallisepticum positive sera out of 260 screened), bacterial: Pasteurella gallinarum avian cholera (15 confirmed cases), pullorum / gallinarum Salmonella (positive results for 17 organs out of 83 screened ), colibacillosis (positive results for 26 organs of 66 screened), egg infection by Salmonella pullorum / gallinarum (20 positive cases out of 254 screened) and Escherichia coli (14 positive cases out of 254 screened ) and parasitic: infestation by Eimeria (36 cases), Ascaridia gallii (15 cases), Raillietina spp. (5 cases), Heterakis spp. (5 cases) and Argas persicus, including poultry farms in Segou ).

Keywords: Diseases; modern poultry farming; Bamako; Sikasso; Ségou