In folliculitis and furunculosis conditions, poorly demarcated areas of alopecia and inflammatory swellings were evident 

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... etc. (Lammerding 2006; Sims 2013; Mondal 2015). Generally, the farm animals carry a varied range of diseases which can pass onto humans, a phenomenon known as ‘zoonoses’ ; transmission of these diseases result from direct contact with a diseased animal, contaminated dung or urine, or through consumption of contaminated farm produce (Sergevnin et al. 1992; Anh et al. 2010; Hoelzer et al. 2011; Samad 2011; Saijuntha et al. 2013). Therefore, these zoonose poses a greater risk to poultry as well as human populations and affects the agricultural productivity either directly or indirectly. Among several infectious diseases, the skin infections in poultry also have a zoonotic importance as some infectious agents cause skin infection in poultry also produce lesion in poultry industry workers across the globe (Kaul and Sumbali 2000; Kim 2003; USGS 2009; Taghavi et al. 2014). Dermatitis caused by bacteria is one of the common skin disorder affecting the production abilities of poultry (Efuntoye and Fashanu 2002; Deshmukh 2004; Maciorowski et al. 2007; Mbata 2009). In the present study, incidence of perifolliculitis, folliculitis and furunculosis was recorded by histopathological examinations along with identification of bacteria responsible for their occurrence in poultry. For the present study, a total of 1386 poultry birds were examined, out of those 304 skin samples showing frank macroscopic lesions were collected to identify the various types of dermatitis in poultry in the different areas of Rajasthan. Histopathological and bacteriological aspects of different types of dermatitis were also studied. The tissue samples were collected for histopathology in 10 per cent formalin. Tissue samples were processed manually for paraffin embedding by acetone and benzene technique (Lillie, 1965) for histopathology. Tissue section of 4-6 micron thickness were cut and stained with haematoxylin and eosin staining technique as a routine. The identification of bacteria was done on the basis of culture and morphological characteristics as per standard method (Carter, 1984). This condition was recorded in 32 (10.53 per cent) cases. Grossly, the skin samples indicated the presence of a wide spread alopecia on various parts of the body along with bluish black discoloration (Fig 1). In folliculitis and furunculosis, poorly demarcated areas of alopecia and inflammatory swellings were evident (Fig 2). Microscopically, perifolliculitis revealed exocytosis of cells into follicular epithelium along with inflammatory infiltration of heterophils and lymphocytes around the feather follicle (Fig 3). In few cases, acanthosis and ballooning degeneration were also noticed. In folliculitis, there were hyperplasia and hyperkeratosis of epidermis along with polymorpho nuclear and mononuclear infiltration in follicular lumen (Fig 4). Some cases showed hyperkeratinization of follicular wall. In furunculosis, there was destruction of majority of feather follicular epithelium which was damaged by the inflammatory reaction (Fig 5). In few cases, keratin debris in the follicular lumen was noticed (Fig 6). The release of follicular contents in dermis was observed in some cases. The different bacteria isolated from the disease conditions were S. aureus, Escherichia coli and Bacillus sp. Fig 3 . Microscopically, perifolliculitis revealed exocytosis of cells into follicular epithelium along with inflammatory infiltration of heterophils and lymphocytes around the feather follicle Folliculitis is a skin disease which is defined histologically as the presence of inflammatory cells within the wall and ostia of the hair follicle, forming a follicular-based pustule (Fox et al. 2007; Stollery 2014). Moreover, perifolliculitis is defined as the presence of inflammatory cells in the perifollicular tissues and involves the adjacent reticular dermis (Ross et al. 2005). Folliculitis and perifolliculitis can manifest independently or together as a result of follicular disruption and irritation (Eley and Gan 1997). While, furunculosis is a deep infection of the hair follicle, leading to abscess formation with accumulation of pus and necrotic tissue; the furuncles appear as red, swollen, tender nodules on hair-bearing parts of the body, one of the most common infectious agent being Staphylococcus aureus , apart from other causative bacteria (Dahl 1987). Gross changes such as alopecia with papule formation and poorly demarcated areas of alopecia in severe cases were in agreement with Scott et al . (1995) in small ruminants and Jubb al. (2007) in large domestic animals. Microscopic alterations were observed in perifolliculitis, folliculitis and furunculosis viz . infiltration around the follicle, in the wall as well as lumen of follicle and rupture of follicular wall with release of their content in dermis respectively. These findings were also described by the studies of Greene et al. (1985) in broilers and by Raidal (1995) in quail. These gross and microscopic findings had also been explained by Jubb al. (2007) in large domestic animals that suggest that these findings may be due to follicular infections. Rajeshwari et al . (1995) isolated Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium septicum, C. perfringens and E. coli from poultry skin lesions, which is in agreement with the findings of the present study. Animal welfare is an important aspect of agricultural productivity. Hence, important measures should be taken to safeguard the biological resources for the betterment of poultry resources. The advent of finding out different disease may help in maintaining the preventive measures for the eradication of deadly bacterial diseases such as perifolliculitis, folliculitis and furunculosis of poultry and determining the dose levels of drugs against these diseases. The progress in this field will be helpful in increasing the high yield of poultry, which in turn will enhance agricultural ...