Mycotic diseases
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Aspergillosis
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The disease is mainly contracted by inhalation of spores or hyphal fragments.
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Ingestion of large number of spores may also led to the disease.
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Debilitied, weak and overcrowded birds are most prone to infection.
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Affected birds exhibit gasping, labored and rapid breathing, anorexia, and emaciation.
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Difficult in mucus movement in the trachea results in gurgling sounds.
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In later stage diarrhea, ataxia and other nervous symptoms may develop.
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Yellow, green or bluish plaques can be seen by naked eye in the lungs, air sac and other organs.
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Treatment: injection of fungicides, a mixture of amphotericin B at 1 mg/kg body weight to treat the primary infection. 100000 IU Nystatin can be given daily subcutaneously to combat secondary fungal infection.
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When an outbreak occurs, all litter from the contaminated cage should be removed and fungicide spray should be given.
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Old feed should be discarded and potassium iodine should placed in drinking water.
Candidiasis
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Candidiasis is caused by the yeast Candida albicans.
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Some factors like prolonged antibiotic therapy, feeding high level of carbohydrate, vitamin deficiency can predispose infection.
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Clinical signs are initially unthriftiness and listlessness. Young birds are most susceptible to the disease.
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The disease is characterized by the formation of necrotic pseudomembranous patches over the mucosa of tongue, pharynx and crop.
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Candidiasis may result in beak deformity in parrots and soft bills. These lesions cause difficulty in swallowing food.
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Treatment: 10000 IU/kg body weight Nystatin twice a day in feed or drinking water.
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This should be followed by diet supplementation with an adequate quantity of vitamin A and B, reducing the carbohydrate level in the feed, Amphotericin B lotion may be used for feather infection. Amphotericin B at 1 mg/day orally, griseofulvin at 125 mg/kg body weight orally once a day and 5-fluorocystosine at 100 mg/kg body weight orally twice a day.
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Prophylactic: unsanitary housing, over crowding, dirty utensil and litter are all factors that contribute to an outbreak.
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All foot wear should be disinfected before visiting an infected flock to prevent spread of the disease.
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The spraying of 2-5% formic acid at the rate of 20ml/100g food minimizes mortality.
Gizzard malfunction syndrome
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Gizzard malfunction syndrome fungal mycelia of several species have been found penetrating the koilin layer, the epithelium and even the muscle in small number of Australian parrots and finches.
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The gizzard fungal condition may best be attempted by a systemic fungicide such amphotericin at 0.075mg/100 g body weight intravenously once a day for 4 days.
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Nystatin and amphotericin are poorly absorbed from the seed eater’s gut; therefore adequate penetration in the deeper layer of the gut or gizzard is difficult.
Aflatoxicosis
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Aflatoxicosis is caused by Fusarium tricinctum commonly found in moldy feed.
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Toxicity cause abnormal wing positioning, hysteroid seizures and impaired righting reflex in young chickens.
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Treatment: low dose steroids such as dexamethasone at 0.1 mg/100 g body weight once a day for 3 days, supportive therapy with vitamin B complex, reduction of sunflower seeds.
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Last modified: Thursday, 7 June 2012, 10:33 AM