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Disseminated mycosis in layer cockerels and pullets
Sara J Throne Steinlage1, Jean E Sander, Tom P Brown
1Department of Avian Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
Avian Diseases
|April 26, 2003
Summary
A fungal coinfection, primarily zygomycetes with Aspergillus and Penicillium, caused granulomas and mortality in young chickens. Diagnostic challenges included mixed fungal cultures and unknown origins, despite no evidence of immunosuppression.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Pathology
- Mycology
- Avian Medicine
Background:
- Young layer chickens presented with significant mortality, ruffled feathers, and lameness.
- Necropsy revealed multifocal granulomas in various tissues, with minimal bacterial growth on cultures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the causative agent(s) of disease in a flock of layer chickens.
- To characterize the pathological findings and determine the etiological agents involved in the observed mortality.
Main Methods:
- Histopathological examination of granulomas to identify microorganisms.
- Fungal and bacterial cultures from affected tissues.
- Serological testing for common immunosuppressive viral infections in poultry.
Main Results:
- Histopathology identified a mixed fungal population, predominantly zygomycetes, along with Aspergillus and Penicillium species within granulomas.
- Obtaining pure cultures of zygomycetes proved difficult due to coinfection with other fungi.
- Serology ruled out immunosuppression from chicken anemia virus and bursal disease virus.
Conclusions:
- A complex fungal coinfection, primarily zygomycetes, was the likely cause of the observed pathology and mortality in the flock.
- The ubiquitous nature of zygomycetes and diagnostic challenges highlight the complexity of fungal disease diagnosis in poultry.
- No specific treatment was initiated for the flock.