Control of Infectious Synovitis

Abstract

INFECTIOUS synovitis, caused by a filterable agent, was first described by Olson et al. (1954 a,b) and Wills (1954). Further descriptions of the disease have been made by Olson et al. (1955 (1956), Wills (1955), Wills and Delaplane (1955), Cover and Galeta (1955) and Cover et al. (1956). Snoeyenbos and Olesiuk (1955) reported a similar disease in turkeys. The occurrence of this disease in broiler and replacement flocks has been important primarily in the eastern and southern states. Unlike many other diseases economic losses from mortality are secondary to those from morbidity. Affected birds become unmarketable because of the infected joints and emaciation which occurs in the later stages of the infection. Preliminary reports on the value of some antibiotics used as preventive and control measures have been presented by Bletner et al. (1955), Olson et al. (1955) and Shelton et al. (1955). This report describes in greater detail the …