Poultry Common Diseases + Testing

Question 1

Deep intestinal scrapes (PME)

Answer 1

• Eimeria maxima
• Cocci deep in intestinal mucosa + villus crypts

Question 2

Superficial intestinal scrapes (PME)

Answer 2

• Eimeria acervulina
• Superficial - cocci found in tips of villi

Question 3

Intestinal smears (PME)

Answer 3

• Motile protozoa - histomoniasis, spironucleosis, or motile bacteria e.g. brachyspira

Question 4

Electron microscopy (PME)

Answer 4

• Intestinal viruses on gut content

Question 5

Cloacal swab (PME)

Answer 5

• IBV PCR

Question 6

Gut histopathology (PME)

Answer 6

• Evidence of viruses, coccidiosis or brachyspira

Question 7

Live bird (pet/backyard) gut Dx tests

Answer 7

• Faecal smear (cocci, overgrowth of bacteria e.g. clostridia)
• Worm eggs
• Brachyspira
• Cloacal swab for IBV PCR
• Biochemistry - liver parameters

Question 8

Eimeria acervulina

Answer 8

• Duodenum
• Lighter infection - whitish round lesions sometimes in ladder-like streaks
• Heavy infection - plaques coalescing, thickened intestinal wall

Question 9

Eimeria brunetti

Answer 9

• Ileum + moves down caecum
• Coagulation necrosis mucoid, bloody enteritis in lower intestine

Question 10

Eimeria maxima

Answer 10

• Jejunum
• Thickened walls, mucoid, blood - tinged exudate, petechiae

Question 11

Eimeria mitis

Answer 11

• Ileum
• No discrete lesions in intestine, mucoid exudate

Question 12

Eimeria mivati

Answer 12

• Duodenum
• Light infection - rounded plaques of oocytes
• Heavy infection - thickened walls, coalescing plaques

Question 13

Eimeria necartrix

Answer 13

• Jejunum + ileum
• Ballooning, white spots (schizonts), petechiae, mucoid blood - filled exudate

Question 14

Eimeria praecox

Answer 14

• Duodenum
• No lesions, mucoid exudate

Question 15

Eimeria tenella

Answer 15

• Caecum
• Onset - haemorrhage into lumen
• Later - thickening, whitish mucosa, cores clotted blood

Question 16

Eimeria hagani

Answer 16

• Duodenum
• Pinhead haemorrhages, petechiae

Question 17

Vacc/health monitoring - antigen (lab = swabs)

Answer 17

• PCR
• EM = electron microscopy
• Oocysts - for coccidiosis
• VI = virus isolation (uncommon) - risk of identifying a notifiable disease

Question 18

Vacc/health monitoring - Ab (serology)

Answer 18

• RPAT (rapid plate agglutination test)
• ELISA
• HAI - haemagglutination inhibition test, tests IgM + IgG

Question 19

Health monitoring - non-specific inflam markers

Answer 19

• APP = acute phase proteins - Marker of inflammation

Question 20

PME

Answer 20

• Immediate result from gross observations - coccidiosis lesion scoring
• Worms
• Gumboro
• Histopathological sampling

Question 21

In-house testing on site

Answer 21

• Snap test antigen kit
• AI (avian influenza)
• Campylobacter

Question 22

Lab tests

Answer 22

• Lab processing = 1 - 5 d, quantitative/semi=quantitative results, min/max limit of detection
• 1). Environmental microbiology:
• Total viable count (TVT)/E. coli/Y&M (yeast + mould) - of water + surfaces
• Salmonella
• Campylobacter - faeces
• 2). Parasitology:
• Oocysts
• Worms - faeces
• 3). Antigen - must be sampled at same time when antigen still detectable, persistent; transient (7 - 14 d), dependent on disease/organ
• 4). Ab - Ig-specific
• 5). Cell-mediated immunity (CMI) - mainly used in research, for IgG/igM

Question 23

Lab Ab test - IgA

Answer 23

• Rapidly produced, hours
• Mucosal surfaces

Question 24

Lab Ab test - IgG/IgM

Answer 24

• Max titre 21 dpi
• Blood + tissues

Question 25

Salmonella testing - Lion Code requirements in layers

Answer 25

• Flocks must be tested for
  salmonella under the National Control Plan
• Two pairs of boot swabs (per house) or composite faeces must be taken at day old, 2 weeks prior to transfer then every 15 weeks from 22-26 weeks of age
• Pre-placement specified
  environmental sample
• Tested in a Government
  approved laboratory

Question 26

Vacc monitoring admin on batch animals

Answer 26

• Dye - tongue, eye, nares, GIT
• Spillage of vacc on animal
• Observe technique
• Lab/biological response - antigen, Ab (serology)

Question 27

Resp Dx

Answer 27

• Oropharyngeal / choanal cleft swab for bacteriology (Mycoplasma, Pasturella, Avibacterium paragallinarum, E.coli) or PCR (IBV, Mycoplasma, ILT) or microscopy for Trichomonas
• Tracheal swab for bacteriology or PCR
• Serology (paired serum samples or single sample) – ILT, Mycoplasma
• Bacteriology from tissue sample on PME
• Aspergillus PCR on a blood sample
• Environmental assessment
• Fluorescein staining of the eye to rule out ulcer in cases of ocular swelling

Question 28

Endoparasites Dx

Answer 28

• McMaster FEC

Question 29

Pasteurella multocida (Fowl cholera)

Answer 29

• C&S
• Resp swab if alive
• PME - lungs + liver

Question 30

Erysipelos

Answer 30

• C&S
• Alive = blood
• PME = liver

Question 31

Investigating poultry nutritional disorders

Answer 31

• Site visit
• Post mortem (if not a pet) -> histopathology
• Radiography (if cannot PME)
• Mycoplasma investigations - serology Vs PCR Vs culture
• Feed analysis - test a minimum of: Moisture, amino acids, total fat, crude protein, phosphorus, calcium) Compare to nutritional information at the back of the packet and to the most relevant commercial nutritional supplement.
• CONTACT A NUTRITIONIST