Poultry respiratory disease Flashcards
What are the most important respiratory diseases in poultry?
*Infectious bronchitis
*Avian metapneumovirus
*Infectious laryngotracheitis
*Mycoplasmosis
*Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale infection
*Aspergillosis
What is avian metapneumovirus also known as?
Turkey rhinotracheitis
What does turkey rhinotracheitis TRT cause?
*Respiratory disease = coughing, sneezing, nasal + ocular discharge
-Drop in egg production + poor shell quality
IS avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) in chickens worse than TRT in turkeys or not?
Milder in chickens, can be asymptomatic
What can aMPV cause?
Swollen head syndrome
=oedematous swelling of head, eyelids + incoordination
What bacteria is always isolated from swollen head syndrome?
E. coli
How does aMPV affect layers?
*Loss of egg production
*Loss of pigment in shells
What can aMPV cause in breeders?
Egg Peritonitis - E.coli
How is avian metapneumovirus spread?
*Horizontal - bird to bird - mucus, aerosols
*Vertical - no solid evidence
How is aMPV diagnosed?
*History
*Examination
*Sampling = blood, swabs + tissues
*Antibody detection - ELISA
What are general control measures of aMPV?
*Good biosecurity
*Reduce stocking density
*All in all out systems
*Improve ventilation
*Avoid temperature fluctuations
*Use antimicrobials to prevent secondary infections
How can aMPV be prevented?
*Good management
*Nutrition
*Avoid immunosuppression
*Vaccine
How can the vaccines be administered?
Live = by spray / drinking water
Killed = by injection
What are mycoplasmas of chickens + turkeys causing respiratory disease under intensive management?
*M. gallisepticum
*M. synoviae
What mycoplasma species can cause arthritis?
M. synoviae
What species of mycoplasma can cause airsacculitis in turkeys?
M. meleagridis
What are common clinical signs of mycoplasma infections?
*Sinusitis + conjunctivitis
*Nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing
*reduced egg production
What are common musculoskeletal signs of mycoplasma infection?
*Lameness
*Swollen joints (synovitis)
*Sternal bursitis (Blisters)
What are common mycoplasma lesions?
*Nasal / sinus exudate
*Air sacculitis
*Keratoconjunctivitis
*Salpingitis
*Synovitis
How are avian mycoplasmas diagnosed?
*Culture + identification
*PCR detection of species specific DNA
*Serology
What does avian mycoplasmas look like on a culture?
Typical fried egg colony with one bacterial colony
How is mycoplasmas controlled?
- Eradication from primary breeding stock
- Management
- Treatment
- Vaccination
What antibiotics can be used to treat mycoplasmas?
*Macrolides - tylosin, tilmicosin
*Pleuromutilins - tiamulin
*Aminoglycosides - gentamicin
What are typical signs of infectious laryngotracheitis?
*Difficulty breathing
*Gasping
*Blood + mucus from throat / lungs when coughing
What type of virus is infectious laryngotracheitis? (ILT)
Herpesvirus
What are the characteristics of ILT
*Intranuclear inclusions in trachea + chorioallantoic membrane
How is ILT transmitted?
*Horizontal spread - droplets from infected birds - slow spread
What are the mild signs of ILT?
*Conjunctivitis
*Lacrymation
*Nasal discharge
What are acute + mild ILT lesions?
Acute =Cheesy plugs in trachea, larynx
-bloody exudate
-inflamed bronchi + air sacs
Mild = mild conjunctivitis + excess mucus
How is ILT diagnosed?
Acute = signs + lesions of severe ILT = sufficient for diagnosis
Mild = lab diagnosis necessary
How is ILT controlled?
No Tx
*Vaccination - live attenuated
What are the problems of ILT vaccines
Live vaccines can become latent + cause ILT
