Tracheal aspergillosis in 6 1/2-week-old chickens caused by Aspergillus flavus

A case of localized tracheal aspergillosis in 6 1/2-week-old single-comb white leghorn pullets caused by Aspergillus flavus is documented. Yellow caseous plaques adherent to the mucosal surface of the tracheas were observed grossly. In several tracheas, the plaques occluded the lumina, and the surrounding tracheal walls were reddened. Histologically, the mucosa was necrotic and infiltrated with macrophages, and fibroplasia was evident in the subadjacent tracheal wall. The lumen of the trachea was almost completely occluded by a combination of fungal mycelia and pyogranulomatous exudate. Portions of tracheal cartilage were elevated into the lumen of the trachea. Other than a sudden increase in mortality to 0.5% per day, there was no evidence of disease in the flock. Depletion of bursal lymphocytes, with concomitant cryptosporidiosis, was evident on histological examination. Acute infectious bursal disease was diagnosed in the succeeding flock at this ranch based upon serology and typical histology.