Indian Journal of Veterinary Pathology 30(1): 42-45, 2006

PATHOLOGY OF LUNG AFFECTIONS IN POULTRY- A FIELD STUDY

M. LAKSHMAN*1, M. SHASHIKUMAR2 AND N. RAJENDRANATH3
Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Science,
Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad-500030, Andhra Pradesh, India.

ABSTRACT
The superior germplasm of intensely reared birds intended for increased production have made them vulnerable to respiratory
diseases which most commonly surface too often in the field. The present study revealed that the respiratory affections have a multiple
etiological agents, like bacteria (E.coli, Pasteurella), virus (Marek’s, adenovirus), fungal (aspergillosis) and unsatisfactory managemental
practices. The gross lesions were observed in respiratory tract of 18.50 per cent birds out of 763 necropsied in Karimnagar district of
Andhra Pradesh, India during 1996-99 (3 years period). The mortality was recorded as 18.42% in 0-8 weeks followed by 14.88% in
9-18 weeks and 27.18% in above 18 weeks age groups. Among 141 positive birds, 36 showed the inflammatory lesions in trachea,
categorised as acute (13.48%), chronic (9.22%) catarrhal (1.42%), hypertrophy of mucosal glands (0.71%) and metaplasia of mucosa
(0.71%). About eighty five birds revealed lesions in the lungs manifested as congestion and oedema (12.77%), acute interstitial
pneumonia (15.60%), chronic interstitial pneumonia (13.48%), bronchopneumonia (12.78%), mycotic (2.84%), marek’s disease
(1.42%) and adenocarcinoma (1.42%). Twenty (20) birds showed the lesions in air sacs, which were acute (10.64%) and chronic
(3.55%) in nature along with lesions in trachea and lungs.
Key words: Lungs, multiple aetiology, poultry, respiratory affections.
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INTRODUCTION with lesions in trachea and lungs. These organs were

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Poultry husbandry has evolved from backyard collected and preserved in 10% neutral formalin for
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entity to full-fledged industry with enormous increase
in egg and meat production. The relative susceptibility
to infections has also increased alongside, which has
brought a revolutionary changes in husbandry
practices, In spite of this the RDC syndrome is taking
an upper hand and causing huge economic losses to
the Indian poultry industry. The present study is an
attempt to provide the information on complexity of a
etiology like bacterial (E.coli and pasteurellosis), viral
(Marek’s disease and Adenocarcinoma and fungal
(Aspergillosis) infections in association with
managemental problems like overcrowding, extreme
weather conditions, poor quality feed and
immunosuppressive agents which may be predisposing
factors of respiratory affections.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
General incidence: The general incidence of gross
lesions in lungs and mortality (%) based on age groups
are shown in Table1. A total of 763 birds (broilers and
layers) were examined at necropsy, out of which 141
birds (18.5%) had the gross lesions. The highest
mortality of 27.18% was recorded in pullets above 18
weeks of age followed by 18.42% in 0-8 weeks and
14.88% in 9 -18 weeks old birds.
Gross pathology: The lesions were observed in lungs
in 85 birds, in trachea in 36 birds in both trachea and
lungs in 15 birds and in only 5 birds in air sacs together
*Corresponding author; 1Assistant Professor of Pathology;
2
Assistant Professor of Public Health; 3Assistant Professor
of Anatomy
histopathological studies by routine hemotoxylin and
eosin (H&E) staining. Special staining Periodic Acid
Schiff’s (PAS) was employed for demonstration of fungal
hyphae.
Isolation of organism: A total of 423 swabs (lungs,
trachea and air sacs) were collected from 141 birds
aseptically for isolation in brain heart infusion (BHI)
and eosine methyline blue (EMB) agars for identification.
Mice inoculation test: The samples from affected birds
were injected into mice @ 0.1 ml intraperitonially and
observed for 48 hours. The dead mice were necropsied
immediately and heart blood samples were inoculated
on BHI and Mac Conkey’s agar. All the field and
laboratory samples were stained by Leishman’s stain.
Serological test: Serological screening conducted in two
broiler flocks, 0.52 % were found positive with
Mycoplasma coloured antigen.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Gross pathology: The trachea showed severe
congestion and catarrh. Lungs were voluminous,
oedematous, firm, and moist with patchy areas of red
to gray, consolidation and the cut surface yielded blood
tinged exudate.
Histopathology: The occurrence of histopathological
lesions was grouped based on presence of lesions in
trachea, lungs, bronchi and air sacs and further
subdivided based on the nature of the lesions (Table 3).
 Lung affections in poultry
Lesions in trachea: The tracheal lesions were
subdivided into acute, chronic, catarrhal, hypertrophy
of mucosal glands and metaplastic mucosa.
Acute tracheitis revealed highest incidence (13.48%) and
most severe lesions of engorgement of capillaries in the
lamina propria, mild to heavy infiltration of
heterophils and macrophages, oedema of submucosa
and focal denudation of lining epithelium (Fig.1). In few
cases, haemorrhages were also observed. Chronic
tracheitis was observed in 9.22% cases showing mild
to moderate proliferation of fibroblastic tissue in the
submucosa and hypertrophy of mucosal glands
together with infiltration of lymphocytes and
macrophages in lamina propria. Catarrhal tracheitis
was noticed as sequelae to chronic tracheitis in 1.42%
cases showing denudation of epithelium, mild to
moderate proliferation of connective tissue in the
submucosa and severe cystic dilatation of tracheal
glands (Fig.2). Hypertrophy of mucosal glands
observed in 0.71 cases revealed hyperplasia and
hypertrophy of the mucosal glands, catarrhal changes
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in surface epithelium and infiltration of lymphocytes
and macrophages (Fig.3). Metaplasia of mucosa was
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recorded only in one bird (0.71%) showing scanty
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exudate, thickened mucosal membrane, squamous
metaplasia of surface epithelium with keratinisation,
focal infiltration of mononuclear cells and absence of
mucosal glands and goblet cells (Fig.4).
Lesions in lungs and bronchi
The lesions were classified as congestion and
oedema, acute interstitial pneumonia, chronic
interstitial pneumonia, chronic bronchopneumonia,
lesions of mycotic origin, Marek’s disease and
adenocarcinoma.
Congestion and oedema of lungs (Fig.5) were
observed in 18 out of 85 birds with an overall incidence
of 12.77%.
The most prominent lesion observed with an
incidence of 15.60% was acute interstitial pneumonia
characterized by thickening of interalveolar septa with
fibrin, infiltration of heterophils, lymphocytes and
macrophages (Fig. 6), oedema and thickening of alveolar
walls. The incidence of Chronic interstitial pneumonia
was 13.48% with thickening of alveolar walls, oedema
and infiltration of lymphocytes, macrophages and
epithelioid cells. Chronic bronchopneumonia was
manifested in 18 birds with 12.78% incidence
characterised by denudation of bronchial epithelium,
mild fibroblastic proliferation in the submucosa,
infiltration of mononuclear phagocytes, epithelioid cells
along with hypertrophy and hyperplasia of bronchial
epithelium.
Other lesions
Mycotic granuloma with fungal hyphae (Fig 7),
43
lesions of pleomorphic lymphoblastic proliferation
with loss of polarity (Fig 8) suggesting marek’s disease
and adenocarcinoma were observed in 2.84%, 1.42%
and 1.42 % cases, respectively.
Lesions in air sacs
The air sac lesions were encountered in 20 cases
were categorized into acute and chronic inflammatory
changes with an overall incidence of 10.64% and 3.55%
respectively along with involvement of lungs and
trachea. Congestion, oedema and moderate infiltration
of heterophils, lymphocytes and macrophages were
observed.
Isolation and identification of bacteria
The following organisms were identified. E.coli in
122 (86.52%), 74 (52.48%) and 17 (12.06%) and Pasteurella
multocida in 19 (13.48%) 11 (7.80%) and 3 (2.13%) samples
of lungs, trachea and air sacs, respectively (Table 2).
In the present investigation, gross pathological
changes in the respiratory tract of poultry were
observed with an incidence rate of 18.48%. The results
were largely in agreement with earlier reports.8, 15
The mortality pattern based on age was 18.42% in
0-8 weeks, 14.88% in 9-18 weeks and 27.18% in birds
above 19 weeks of age. In an earlier investigation, a
mortality of 2.9% in below six months and in 13.9 -
21.4% in older birds was observed. Age wise 4.3%
mortality in 0-8 weeks8,9, 2.3% in 8-20 weeks10, 9.62%
in 0-1 week, 26.72% in 2-8 weeks, 8.43% in 9-20 weeks
and 0.53% in 21-40 weeks old birds were reported13 .
This disparity could be due to various factors like
housing, population pressure and managemental
practices, besides the indiscriminate use of antibiotics
and chemotherapeutic substances.
E.coli was the most common aetiological agent
isolated from 122 lungs (86.52%), 74 trachea (52.48%)
and 17 air sac (12.06%) samples. This was supported
by the previous reports1,5,17. Pasteurella multocida was
isolated from 19 lung (13.48%), 11 trachea (7.80%) and
3 air sac (2.13%) samples. A natural infection of
Pasteurella multocida with a mortality rate of 29.65% in
layers and 36.3% in broilers was earlier reported2.
Out of 141 birds, 36 birds had lesions in trachea
with variable inflammatory changes due to
colibacillosis and were in accordance with earlier
observations11. The inclusion bodies, a feature of viral
infections was not observed in the present study,
indicating tracheal inflammation of non-viral origin.
The incidence of lung lesions was 60.30%. Based on
microscopic lesions and the aetiological agents isolated
(E.coli and Pasteurella multocida), the conditions were
classified. Several authors earlier reported the
occurrence of similar type of lesions of E.coli as observed
in the present study, in association with other
conditions like adenovirus infection 3 , pullorum
diseases16, salphingoperitonitis,7 Hemophilus species4,
 44 Lakshman et al.

Fig. 1: Photomicrograph of trachea with engorged Fig. 5: Photomicrograph of lung showing congestion and
capillaries, mucosa infiltrated with heterophils, oedema. HE x 200
macrophages, denudation of epithelium forming
debris on the surface. HE x 80.
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Fig. 2: Photomirograph of trachea with denuded epithelium Fig. 6: Photomicrograph of lung with thickened
and prominent cystic dilatation of tracheal glands. interalveolar septa with fibrin, heterophils,
HE x 160 lymphocytes and macrophages. HE x 320

Fig. 3: Photomicrograph of trachea showing hyperplasia Fig. 7: Photomicrograph of lung with fungal hyphae. PAS x
and hypertrophy of mucosal glands showing 320
congestion and infiltration of lymphocytes and
macrophages. HE x 200

Fig. 4: Photomicrograph of trachea with thickened mucosa Fig. 8: Photomicrograph of lung showing pleomorphic
and squamous metaplasia and keratin with focal lymphoblastic cells and loss of polarity in Marek’s
infiltration of mononuclear cells and absence of disease affected bird. HE x 320
mucous glands and goblet cells. HE x 320
 Lung affections in poultry 45

Mycoplasma species, chronic respiratory disease (CRD)14, Condition Number of birds showing
and different serotypes of E.coli6. lesions, overall Incidence (%)
The involvement of air sacs was seen in 20 birds C. Air sacs
with 14.19% overall incidence. The lesions manifested Acute air saculitis 15 (10.64%)
in the present investigation were similar to that of Chronic air saculitis 05 (03.55%)
earlier observations11, 12,14. It could be concluded that
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