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Pasteurellosis is a highly contagious disease of poultry caused by Pasteurella multocida (P. multocida). The infection in turkeys can be per-acute to acute and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. A total of five capsular types (A, B, D, E and F) and 16 somatic serovars of Pasteurella multocida are known. Type A is the main cause of fowl cholera, followed by type F. In turkeys, serotypes 1, 3 and 4 were most frequently detected. The disease affects a wide range of domestic and wild birds. Turkeys are particularly susceptible to P. multocida infections compared to other poultry species. The disease occurs predominantly in over 8-week-old turkeys, but severe outbreaks have also been reported in 4 to 5 weeks of poults. The disease is associated with severe economic losses due to high mortality rates, medication costs and condemnation rates at slaughter and the additional costs of using vaccines. Two forms of fowl cholera have been described, namely, per-acute/acute form and chronic form. The acute form is characterised by high morbidity and high mortality rates. However, the chronic form is characterised by localised infections and uni- or bilateral consolidation of the lungs with fibro-purulent exudate. The diagnosis is based on clinical signs and postmortem lesions. Laboratory diagnosis can be done by direct blood smears or tissue imprints stained with methylene blue to investigate the P. multocida bipolar characteristics. In acute cases, bacterial isolation from heart blood, bone marrow or choanal swabs from chronically infected carriers. The disease can be treated using sulphonamides, tetracyclines, erythromycin, fluoroquinolones, semi-synthetic penicillins and streptomycin; however, some strains are resistant to antibiotics, which makes the diagnosis difficult. Both live attenuated and inactivated vaccines against fowl cholera are available.