pullorum disease

[ puh-lawr-uhm, -lohr- ]

noun

, Veterinary Pathology.

1. a highly contagious, frequently fatal disease of young poultry caused by the bacterium Salmonella gallinarum ( pullorum ), transmitted by the infected hen during egg production, and characterized by weakness, loss of appetite, and diarrhea.

pullorum disease

/ pʊˈlɔːrəm /

noun

1. an acute serious bacterial disease of very young birds, esp chickens, characterized by a whitish diarrhoea: caused by Salmonella pullorum, transmitted during egg production Also calledbacillary white diarrhoea

Word History and Origins

Origin of pullorum disease¹

1925–30; < New Latin ( Bacterium ) pullorum former name of the bacterium, Latin pullōrum, genitive plural of pullus cockerel, chicken ( pullet )

Word History and Origins

Origin of pullorum disease¹

Latin pullōrum of chickens, from pullus chicken