ABSTRACT
Reports of large scale mortality of day-old-chicks were received at the National Veterinary Research Institute; Vom; Nigeria in 2007 to 2008. We investigated the cause of death using several virological and bacteriological techniques; isolated the pathogenic agents and carried out sensitivity tests. Our investigation revealed that Escherichia coli and Salmonella organisms were isolated in the outbreaks. A pattern of antibiotic resistance that seems to be increasing was also found. Considering the role of chickens and its products in the human food chain in Nigeria; and the close interaction between poultry and man; these resistant organisms may pose dangers to humans through the food chain or zoonotic infection and precipitate a similar pattern of resistance in man. We advocated for informed use of antibiotics in the food animals; especially poultry