Pullorum disease in Delaware roasters.

An index case of pullorum disease in 4-week-old roasters from a completely integrated poultry operation is reported from Delaware. Severe articular and periarticular swelling of hock and/or wing joints was observed on postmortem examination. Also seen were moderate to severe hydropericardium and large white-gray nodules in the heart and gizzard that grossly could have been taken for tumors. The livers showed multiple small white foci, petechial hemorrhages, and swelling. Initially, Salmonella pullorum was isolated from the articular fluid by direct culture on MacConkey agar, but it was not isolated from liver, spleen, or heart samples after enrichment in selenite broth.