Avian Botulism Type C in a Commercial Poultry Farm: First Report in Central America

Avian botulism outbreaks are frequently produced by type C neurotoxin secreted by Clostridium botulinum proliferating in decomposing bird carcasses and contaminated soils or water sediments. In this study, a botulism outbreak was diagnosed in broilers from a Costa Rican commercial farm through clinical signs, absence of postmortem histopathological lesions, and the confirmation of toxin in the serum of the birds. C. botulinum was furthered isolated from the intestine of these animals. This is the first report of avian botulism due to C. botulinum type C in Central America.