Rethinking our understanding of the pathogenesis of necrotic enteritis in chickens.

For decades, low doses of antibiotics have been used widely in animal production to promote growth. However, there is a trend to reduce this use of antibiotics in feedstuffs, and legislation is now in place in Europe to prohibit their use in this way. As a consequence, economically important diseases, such as necrotic enteritis (NE) of chickens, that are caused by Clostridium perfringens have become more prevalent. Recent research is creating a paradigm shift in our understanding of the pathogenesis of NE and is now providing information that will be necessary to monitor and control the incidence of NE in poultry.