Aspergillosis

- Ubiquitous fungi, primary pathogen in

birds, opportunist in other species.
- Usually A. fumigatus, sometimes A.
flavus, A. terreus, or A. niger
- Can cause localized or systemic
infection
- Important producers of mycotoxins (i.e..
aflatoxins of A. flavus
Aian Aspergillosis

- Can occur in poultry, cage birds, exotics

!"rooder pneumonia! - young birds
Acute disease
# $ollo%s inhalation or ingestion of spores
# &idely disseminated in body, death in '(-() hr
Chronic infection - older birds
*ource- moldy feed, poor sanitation
+reatment
- intraconazole, others ineffectie
Aspergillosis

Cattle
- Abortion - in U.*. ,- of abortions are fungal
- *pores ingested or inhaled, disseminate to
placenta
*heep, horses
- similar to cattle
.ogs, cats
- respirattory infection
/eptiles
- respiratory infection
0athogenesis

- 1irulence mechanisms - elastase,

proteases, cell %all products, toxins2
*pores inhaled
- /ely on Al 3ac to inactiate these
If spores germinate into hyphae
- /ely on 034s to attac5 hyphae
If Al 3ac or 034s defectie
- fungal gro%th and tissue inasion results
+herapy

- /esistant to most drugs

- Itraconazole appears most effectie
- 6liminate source of spores (moldy feed7
- /emoe fungal mass if possible
- +reatment failures common
.iagnosis

- 3icroscopic examination of tracheal %ash

- 8istopathology - use fungal stain (siler7, see
dichotomous branching hyphae
- Culture - gro%s readily, but inhibited by
cycloheximide
- Colonies in () hr, identify by spores
- *erology - tests aailable, can be false # or -
- .etect fungal Ag - suspected deep infection

Genus/Species: Aspergillus clavato-nanicus

Image Type: 3icroscopic 3orphology

Title: Characteristic conidia
Disease(s): Aspergillosis
Legend: Club shaped esicles %ith uniserate phialides. Conidia are yello%ish, ellipsoidal to cylindrical and
smooth-%alled. Conidial heads radiate.
Title: *tages in deelopment of fruiting bodies

Disease(s): Aspergillosis
Legend: *tages in deelopment of fruiting bodies. .ifferential interference contrast microscopy, 9:;<.
Genus/Species: Aspergillus flavus
Image Type: 3icroscopic 3orphology
Title: Aspergillosis in =striches

Disease(s): Aspergillosis
Legend: A two-week old ostrich chick with respiratory aspergillosis due to contamination of the
hatchery.

Genus/Species: Aspergillus species
Image Type: >ross 0athology
Title: Aspergillosis in tur5ey poult

Disease(s): Aspergillosis
Legend: A two-week old turkey poult with a severe fungal septicemic infection affecting the liver
and the lungs. About 30% of the flock was affected with aspergillosis from contaminated straw used
as litter.
Genus/Species: Aspergillus species
Image Type: >ross 0athology
Title: *5in Aspergillosis in =striches

Disease(s): Aspergillosis
Legend: A one-year old ostrich with localized skin lesions, histological eamination revealed deep
penetration of typical Aspergillus hyphae.
Genus/Species: Aspergillus species
Image Type: 8istopathology
Title: Aspergillosis in =striches

Disease(s): Aspergillosis
Legend: A six-month ostrich %ith tumor li5e gro%ths under the s5in. +he granulomas %ere remoed surgically
%ithout complications, the onion li5e structure of the granuloma is typical of localized chronic reactions in ostriches.
Genus/Species: Aspergillus species
Image Type: >ross 0athology

Slide Reference #: GK 039

Genus/Species: Aspergillus fumigatus

Disease(s): Aspergillosis
Image Type: !istopathology

Slide Reference #: GK 0!

Genus/Species: Aspergillus flavus

Disease(s): Aspergillosis
Image Type: "acroscopic "orphology

Slide Reference #: GK 0"

Genus/Species: Aspergillus flavus

Disease(s): Aspergillosis
Image Type: "icroscopic "orphology
Title: 8yphae in cytopathology specimen

Disease(s): Aspergillosis
Legend: .ichotomously branching hyphae. >3* stain, sputum, (;;<.
Genus/Species: Aspergillus fumigatus
Image Type: 3icroscopic 3orphology