United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture

Veterinary Services

Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health November 2011

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Clostridial Dermatitis in U.S.

Commercial Turkeys and 

Broilers

Clostridial dermatitis, a disease of turkeys and broilers,

has increased in severity over the last several years. In 

2010, the United States Animal Health Association 

(USAHA) ranked clostridial dermatitis among the top 10 

disease issues in turkeys.

1 Dermatitis can be associated 

with Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichia coli;

however, recently Clostridium spp. have been 

associated specifically with clostridial dermatitis. Skin 

lesions appear necrotic with edema and/or gas in the 

underlying subcutaneous tissue. Sudden death is a 

frequent presentation of this illness.

2

Disease pathogenesis is poorly understood. It is 

believed to be caused by hematogenous transmission of 

clostridium from the gastrointestinal tract to muscle and 

skin where bacterial toxins are produced. Previous 

studies have suggested that risk factors relating to bird 

density, litter conditions, and hygiene are potential risk 

factors for disease.

2

Clostridia are commonly found in the environment 

and intestines of healthy birds. Controlling clostridial 

dermatitis is difficult because managing the growth of 

clostridia is challenging, especially during the birds’

growth phase. Uncontrolled growth of clostridia results in 

toxin production, which causes disease. The basic 

components for controlling clostridial dermatitis include:

• Reducing the number of clostridial 

microorganisms in birds and the environment, 

and

• Augmenting bird immunity2

Poultry 2010 study

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National 

Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) conducted 

the Poultry 2010 study. One objective of the study was 

to determine the prevalence of clostridial dermatitis on 

U.S. turkey and broiler farms. The study focused on the 

Nation’s largest poultry companies; 15 turkey companies 

and 14 broiler companies were selected to participate. 

Regions for the Poultry 2010 study

The selected companies represented 81.2 percent 

of broilers produced in 20093 and 76.8 percent of turkeys 

slaughtered in 20094 in the United States. Data 

regarding the occurrence of clostridial dermatitis were 

collected during Phase I of the study from May 27 

through October 16, 2010. For further details on study 

methodology, see the NAHMS descriptive report “Poultry 

2010 Structure of the U.S. Poultry Industry, 2010”

available at http://nahms.aphis.usda.gov/poultry.

Results 

Turkey farms in the Central region (see map above) 

had the highest percentage of farms with some degree

of clostridial dermatitis problems during the previous 

12 months: about half had some degree of disease, and 

17.6 percent had severe disease. No turkey farms in the 

West region had clostridial dermatitis problems (table 1).

Table 1. Percentage of turkey grower farms by 

severity of clostridial dermatitis problems during the 

previous 12 months, and by region

Percent Turkey Grower Farms

Region

Severity West Central East All

Severe (nearly 

every flock, high 

mortality)

0.0 17.6 1.9 9.0

Moderate 0.0 15.1 12.1 13.2

Slight (few 

flocks, low 

mortality)

0.0 15.7 25.0 20.1

None 100.0 51.6 61.0 57.7

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

About a fourth of broiler farms had some degree of 

clostridial dermatitis problems during the previous 

12 months (table 2). 
United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture

Table 2. Percentage of broiler farms by severity of 

clostridial dermatitis problems during the previous 

12 months

Severity Percent broiler farms

Severe (nearly every flock, high 

mortality) 0.8

Moderate 10.7

Slight (few flocks, low mortality) 15.8

None 72.7

Total 100.0

Additional information sheets are planned that will 

address risk factors associated with clostridial dermatitis 

in turkeys and laboratory analysis of biological samples 

taken from individual turkey farms.

References

1. USAHA. 2010. Transmissible diseases of poultry 

report.

2. Clark S, Porter R, McComb B, Lippert R, Olson S, 

Nohner S, Shivaprasad HL. 2010. Clostridial dermatitis 

and cellulitis: an emerging disease of turkeys. Avian Dis

54(2):788–794.

3. Watt Poultry USA Survey, Feb. 2010. Available at: 

www.WATTAgNet.com

4. WATT Poultry USA Turkey Profiles, Feb. 2010.

______________________________

For more information, contact:

USDA–APHIS–VS–CEAH

NRRC Building B, M.S. 2E7

2150 Centre Avenue 

Fort Collins, CO 80526-8117 

970.494.7000

Email: NAHMS@aphis.usda.gov

http://nahms.aphis.usda.gov

#630.1111

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