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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Food Safety and Enteric Pathogens Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #250881
Title: Epidemiologic Investigation of Riemerella anatipestifer in a Commercial Duck Company by Serotyping and DNA Fingerprinting

Author
item FULTON, RICHARD - Michigan State University
item Rimler, Richard - Rick

Submitted to: Avian Diseases
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/19/2010
Publication Date: 6/1/2010
Citation: Fulton, R.M., Rimler, R.B. 2010. Epidemiologic Investigation of Riemerella anatipestifer in a Commercial Duck Company by Serotyping and DNA Fingerprinting. Avian Diseases. 54(2):969–972.

Interpretive Summary: Three different strains of the pathogenic bacterium Riemerella anatipestifer were discovered on different duck farms. This finding underscores the importance of biosecurity measures to prevent farm-to-farm transmission of Riemerella anatipestifer.

Technical Abstract: A commercial duck company that raises approximately two million Pekin ducks per year experienced an outbreak of Riemerella anatipestifer(RA)on nine farms over a one year period. Due to concerns that the bacteria was being spread from farm to farm, an investigation using serotyping and DNA fingerprinting was performed. The results revealed that there were three different strains of RA involved in the outbreak. One strain was spread from one farm to six other farms while another strain, from the same farm, was spread to two other farms. These findings add additional proof of the value of DNA fingerprinting in disease outbreak investigation and further support the importance of implementing biosecurity protocols to stop the spread of disease-causing organisms.