Question about Colibacillosis / E.coli or Spirochetosis reactions

[Goosebaby]

I was just reading about E. coli infections in poultry and I remembered something I read in the past about Herxing “Jarisch–Herxheimer reaction” an effect from large amounts of dying microbes in the body which worsens symptoms and can cause issues like low blood pressure, fever, pain, rapid heart rate, among other problems. It often happens when treating tick born illnesses like Lyme or Spirochetosis but also happens with E. Coli.

I was just curious if birds also expierience herxing? If anyone who has treated their birds for these illnesses has seen their birds initially worsen during treatment?

 

[Goosebaby]

Never,ind I answered my own question, or Merck Vet manual did.

“The antibiotics can be completely effective if begun when the number of spirochetes per oil-immersion field is low or moderate; however, if large numbers of spirochetes are present in the bloodstream, the sudden liberation of large quantities of spirochetal degradation products can result in higher mortality than with no treatment.”
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/avian-spirochetosis/avian-spirochetosis?query=spirochetes

Yep that’s herxing.

 

[dawg53]

Red mites can carry spirochetes as well. An antibiotic will kill them but the die off in the bloodstream can kill the infected chicken.
This would be an instance where an avian vet would have to take blood from the bird and determine what amount of antibiotic would be needed to control the spirochetes to eventually eliminate them if possible.

 

[Goosebaby]

Red mites can carry spirochetes as well. An antibiotic will kill them but the die off in the bloodstream can kill the infected chicken.
This would be an instance where an avian vet would have to take blood from the bird and determine what amount of antibiotic would be needed to control the spirochetes to eventually eliminate them if possible.