Fungal outbreak raised bird flu fears

ASPERGILLOSIS, the fungal infection believed to have caused the deaths of hundreds of chickens at poultry farms in Cumuto, is hard to diagnose and hard to cure unless caught and treated early, animal health experts say. It is caused by molds in the genus Aspergillus which are found everywhere in the world because it is in the soil and thrives in warm, humid conditions. High levels of Aspergillus are found in tropical climates and levels can be elevated after floods and heavy rains.

Aspergillosis is characteristically a disease of captivity and close confinement, particularly when birds are kept in an unclean environment. The fungi grow readily in damp, dark conditions with poor ventilation. Encrusted faecal matter, damp feed, dirty feeding utensils and food that falls through cage grates all encourage mold growth. The fungus is capable of penetrating broken skin and egg shells and so is able to infect a developing embryo.

Birds are more susceptible to the disease if they are malnourished, under exercised, or over stressed. Other contributing factors are illness, unsanitary living conditions, prior respiratory problems. One infected bird can pass aspergillosis onto another through common food and water dishes, physical contact, or the airborne spores of the fungus. Diagnosis can be difficult, at best, other than by autopsy. In the acute form of the disease, birds exhibit laboured respiration, severe depression and extreme emaciation and are generally very ill. The mortality rate is exceptionally high in this form.