Poultry

Question 1

What are 2 metabolic bone diseases in chickens? What causes each? How can you distinguish them?

Answer 1

Rickets- young chicks, Vit D/Phosphorus deficiency. Rubbery bones. YOUNG CHICKS.
Osteoporosis- aged laying hens. Calcium depletion. Thin eggs, paresis, fractures. OLD LAYERS.

Question 2

What causes Gout in birds?

Answer 2

Renal disease! Vit D or Calcium excess. Hyperuricemia -> deposition of uric acid in body.

Question 3

What is classic presentation and findings for fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome?

Answer 3

Obese, aged laying hens. Hepatic hematoma +/- hemoabdomen +/- fatty liver

Question 4

What 2 diseases should you suspect in flocks with high mortality events? What is the first thing you should do?

Answer 4

Highly pathogenic avian influenza or Exotic Velogenic Newcastle Disease Virus. Call state vet.

Question 5

What samples should you take if you want to test for HPAI/ENDV?

Answer 5

Oropharyngeal swabs in virus isolation media (dacron), NOT bacterial swab.

Question 6

What common disease of backyard flocks causes immune suppression and cancer?

Answer 6

Marek’s disease

Question 7

What are the manifestations of Marek’s disease in chickens?

Answer 7

Many (overlapping) clinical syndromes:
Immune suppression
Lymphoma- Cutaneous, ocular, ovary, visceral organs
Lymphocytic neuritis / neurolymphomatosis- Sciatic nerve, brain
Latent infection

Question 8

What agent is responsible for “Fowl Cholera”? Signs?

Answer 8

Pasteurella multocida. Septicemia, Sinusitis, Necrotizing pneumonia.

Question 9

What is the pathogenesis of respiratory disease in birds? Pre-disposing factors?

Answer 9

Multifactorial. Primary viral or Mycoplasma infections in upper respiratory tract
Secondary bacterial infection is common.
Predisposing factors: High environmental ammonia/dust, Stress, Crowding.

Question 10

What are some common clinical signs/gross lesions of both Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease Virus?

Answer 10

Upper respiratory signs, dyspnea, conjunctivitis, sinusitis, cyanosis, hemorrhage, petechia

Question 11

What signs are caused by Infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILT)? Causative agent?

Answer 11

Respiratory signs, fibronecrotizing tracheitis, Gallid Herpesvirus 1

Question 12

What are lesions associated with Mycoplasma gallisepticum and how is it spread?

Answer 12

CHRONIC respiratory disease, sinusitis. Carrier birds, vertical transmission.

Question 13

What does Aspergillus infection cause in birds?

Answer 13

Embryonic mortality, Respiratory signs, Fungal plaques/granulomas respiratory system/air sacs

Question 14

What serovars of Salmonella enterica cause disease in chickens? How are they spread and what is the usual presentation?

Answer 14

S. Pullorum “Pullorum disease”
S. Gallinarum “Fowl Typhoid”
For both:
Vertical & Horizontal transmission, Carrier hens
Clinical dz predominantly in chicks <4 wks old.
Acute: ↑ mortality, lesions of acute septicemia, diarrhea

Question 15

If chickens are carrying zoonotic Salmonella, what signs would they have?

Answer 15

None- no signs in the carrier chickens, but zoonotic infections to humans.

Question 16

What organism causes avian tuberculosis? Zoonotic?

Answer 16

Mycobacterium avium. Uncommon in poultry, but potentially zoonotic.

Question 17

What is the most important parasitic disease/pathogen of chickens? Life cycle? Signs?

Answer 17

Coccidiosis caused by Eimeria spp. Direct life cycle (environment important). Disease ranges from subclinical to fatal enteritis.

Question 18

What is the most important parasitic disease/pathogen of turkeys? Life cycle? Signs?

Answer 18

Histomonas meleagridis – protozoan parasite. Turkeys much more susceptible than chickens. Both direct and indirect lifecycle. Transmitted by Heterkis gallinarum worms. Target-like necrotic lesions in liver and cecal cores/fibrin plugs where worms like to live.

Question 19

What diseases can cause neurological signs in birds?

Answer 19

Avian influenza, Newcastle Disease, Marek’s disease, Avian encephalomyelitis virus, Arboviruses like WNV and EEE.

Question 20

What is salpingitis and how do birds get it? Common concurrent issues?

Answer 20

Infection of the oviduct. Generally an ascending infection with E. coli, P. multocida, Salmonella or Mycoplasma. Concurrent oophoritis and peritonitis common.

Question 21

What is egg yolk peritonitis?

Answer 21

Rupture of ova/yolk into coelomic cavity. Can be sterile or septic (involving bacteria like E. coli, Enterococcus, Pasteurella, etc)

Question 22

What are common reproductive tract neoplasms in hens and what is a common secondary issue?

Answer 22

Adenocarcinoma of ovary/oviduct (can be hard to tell which a neoplasm is arising from). Carcinomatosis is a common issue (spread of cancer cells along serosal surfaces).

Question 23

What chicken diseases are reportable within 1 day?

Answer 23

Avian influenza, Velogenic Newcastle disease virus, EEEV, Salmonella pullorum