12/11/2025
PULLORUM,GUMBORO & COCCIDIOSIS
Pullorum disease, Gumboro disease, and Coccidiosis are three common but very different threats that poultry farmers often face. Pullorum disease, caused by Salmonella pullorum, mainly affects young chicks. It spreads from infected eggs or contaminated equipment and causes white diarrhea, weakness, and high mortality in chicks under three weeks. Surviving birds often become carriers, silently spreading the infection to future flocks.
Gumboro disease (Infectious Bursal Disease) on the other hand, is caused by a virus that attacks the bird’s immune system, particularly the bursa of Fabricius. It commonly affects birds between 3–6 weeks old. Signs include ruffled feathers, trembling, vent picking, and watery diarrhea. While Gumboro rarely kills all affected birds, it weakens their immunity, making them more vulnerable to other infections and reducing vaccine response.
Coccidiosis, unlike the other two, is caused by a protozoan parasite (Eimeria species) that multiplies in the gut. It is often triggered by wet litter and poor hygiene. Birds show bloody or watery droppings, drooping wings, and reduced feed intake. Unlike Pullorum and Gumboro, Coccidiosis can affect birds at any age if sanitation is poor. The three diseases share similar outward signs like diarrhea, weakness, and reduced productivity, but they differ in cause, age of susceptibility, and method of control. Good biosecurity, vaccination, and proper litter management remain the best defense against all three.