Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38917603›Full record

ArticlePoultry science2024

Descriptive epidemiology of spotty liver disease in Australian cage-free brown egg layer chicken flocks with a scratch area.

Peter J Groves, Yuanshuo K Gao, Michael Kotiw, Sarah Eastwood, T T Hao Van, Robert J Moore, Wendy I Muir

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Poultry science, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Tropical medicine and infectious disease · 2025
    Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Peter J GrovesSydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camden, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: peter.groves@sydney.edu.au.
Yuanshuo K GaoSydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camden, NSW, Australia.
Michael KotiwSchool of Health and Wellbeing, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia.
Sarah EastwoodSchool of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
T T Hao VanSchool of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
Robert J MooreSchool of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
Wendy I MuirSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camden, NSW, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Spotty Liver Disease (SLD), caused by Campylobacter hepaticus or C. bilis infection in adult female chickens continues to emerge as a major disease problem in cage-free production systems. Free range production has become the predominant system in Australian egg production and SLD is widespread in these farms. Previous studies have identified having a scratch area as a key determinant for SLD occurrence. An Australia-wide survey of egg production flocks with scratch areas was conducted regarding SLD including 48 individual flocks. Descriptive information on the facilities and flock management practices was reported. The incidence of SLD, age of first outbreak, initial mortality rate, duration of elevated mortality, and magnitude and duration of any associated egg production decline are described. Recurrence of SLD in the same flock was also reported and discussed. Therapies applied were recorded and assessed across SLD severity and duration. SLD occurred in 66.7% of layer flocks whose facility included a scratch area. Recurrent SLD outbreaks occurred in 31% of flocks experiencing SLD. Antibiotic medication reduced duration of mortality and egg production decline. Antibiotic therapy was associated with reduced duration of mortality and a less severe and shorter duration of egg production drops compared to untreated flocks. PCR detection of C. hepaticus in cloacal swabs and house dust samples and a serological ELISA test were compared and evaluated as diagnostic aids or as possible predictors of SLD outbreaks. The ELISA showed substantial agreement with detection of C. hepaticus in cloacal swabs by PCR. Examining composite house dust samples by PCR for C. hepaticus DNA appeared to be the most convenient and cost-effective aid to diagnosis and as a putative predictor for SLD outbreaks.

Indexed as

Animal HusbandryCampylobacter InfectionsChickensPoultry DiseasesAnimalsAnti-Bacterial AgentsAustraliaCampylobacterDisease OutbreaksFemaleHousing, AnimalIncidenceLiver DiseasesAnti-Bacterial Agentscampylobacter hepaticusepidemiologyrecurrencetreatment

Identifiers

PMID38917603
PMCPMC11255888

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.