Synonyms
Brooder pneumonia, fungal pneumonia, mycotic pneumonia, pneumomycosis
Aetiology: Aspergillus fumigates
Age/host range: chickens, turkeys, ducks, penguns, game birds, waterfowls are susceptible with chicken/turkeys highly susceptible. The disease affects all ages of birds but very severe in young birds of less than 3 weeks of age.
Forms of Aspergillosis
Two forms of the disease exist in poultry. They include acute and chronic forms.
Acute form is characterized by severe outbreak in young chicks with high morbidity and mortality.
Chronic form is common in adult flock; morbidity and mortality is also high.
Transmission
By inhalation exposure to an environment with a high spore count.
Inovo: through internal and external contamination of the embryo.
Clinical signs
Clinical signs associated with acute form include
Inappetence
Weakness
Silent gasping
Rapid breathing
Thirst
Drowsiness
Torticolis(occasional)
Clinical signs associated with chronic form include
Ocular discharge
Wasting
Post-mortem lesions
Yellowish-grey nodules in lungs, air sacs, trachea and occasionally brain, peritoneal cavity may have a greenish surface.
Serous fibrinous pneumonia is seen in the trachea and bronchi
Conjunctivitis/keratitis.
Diagnosis
This is based on characteristic clinical signs and post-mortem lesions.
Isolation and recognition of the fungal cultures using appropriate media.
Treatment
An effective means of therapy for avian aspergillosis is not available.
Prevention
Good sanitation
Fumigation of poultry environment with Nystatin.
Keep poultry litter and feed dry.