Differences Between Fowl Plague and Fowl Cholera and How to Tell Them Apart

When fowl cholera is epidemic, chickens, ducks and geese often become ill and die at the same time, whereas Newcastle disease affects only chickens.

Symptoms: In acute cases of fowl cholera the crop is full of food, whereas in Newcastle disease it is full of gas and fluid; chronic cases show nervous symptoms such as a twisted head and neck, while fowl cholera has no nervous symptoms and a short course.

Necropsy: In fowl cholera a large amount of pale yellow fluid accumulates in the pericardial sac, with hemorrhage on the epicardium and grayish-white necrotic spots on the surface of the liver, and yellow caseous exudate is often found on the surface of the air sacs and intestines; whereas in Newcastle disease the liver has no necrotic spots, and hemorrhage or ulcers are often present under the keratinous lining of the proventriculus and gizzard.

Fowl cholera responds to treatment with sulfonamides or antibiotics to some extent; Newcastle disease does not.

The pathogen of fowl cholera is Pasteurella, which can be examined with an ordinary microscope; whereas Newcastle disease is caused by a virus, which cannot be seen with an ordinary microscope.