Respiratory diseases in poultry

Question 1

What are differential diagnoses?

Answer 1

• All Poultry:
  ◦ Avian Influenza
  ◦ Newcastle Disease
• Hens:
  ◦ Infectious Bronchitis (IB) (sneezing)
  ◦ Avian Rhinotracheitis (ART) (sneezing)
  ◦ Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT) (gasping)
  ◦ Mycoplasma gallisepticum (Mg)
  ◦ Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale (ORT)
  ◦ Pasteurella multocida
  ◦ Infectious Coryza
  ◦ E. coli
  ◦ Gapeworm (gasping)
• Turkeys:
  ◦ Avian rhinotracheitis (ART) (sneezing)
  ◦ Pasteurella multocida
  ◦ E. coli
  ◦ Mycoplasma gallisepticum (Mg)
  ◦ Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale (ORT)
• Ducks:
  ◦ E. coli
  ◦ Reimerella anatipestifer (sneezing)
  ◦ Aspergillosis

Question 2

What are normal clinical parameters in poultry?

Answer 2

• Body Temperature: 41.9 - 42.0oC
• Heart rate: Hen:- 350 – 470bpm, Turkey 200 – 280bpm, Quail 500 – 600bpm
• Respiratory rate: 12 – 21 (male) 20 – 37 (female)
• Panting threshold: 27 – 29oC (ambient)

Question 3

What are clinical signs associated?

Answer 3

• Coughing (snicking)
• Sneezing
• Ruffled feathers
• Huddling
• Ocular/nasal discharges
• Discharge on wing feathers
• Blepharospasm
• Conjunctivitis
• Sinusitis
• Head shaking
• Swollen heads

Question 4

How does resp disease affect productivity?

Answer 4

• egg quality
• egg production figures

Question 5

How can you diagnose respiratory diseases?

Answer 5

• Culture for bacteria
• Serology
• Tracheal swabs or FTA cards for PCR
• Virus isolation
• Histopathology

Question 6

What are the different routes of administration for poultry vaccines?

Answer 6

• Drinking water
  
  • Live vaccines applied through the drinking water do not provide an upper respiratory tract immunity
  • THESE ARE LIVE VACCINES therefore chlorinated mains water will reduce efficacy (need distilled water for the sprayers and Vac Pac plus for drinking system)
• Spray: Hatchery cabinets or on farm
  
  • Resp vaccines are ideally given by spray
• Intra – ocular
• In ovo
• Injection (importance of maternally derived antibodies for commercial birds)

Question 7

What sampling technique should be used for blood samples in poultry?

Answer 7

• Good restraint is very important
• Brachial vein exposed by plucking feathers
• Use 19 – 23g needle or nick vein with sharp blade
• Half fill blood tube
• Bleeding will usually stop once wing is lowered
• Put cap on tube and lie on side to clot
• Send to laboratory asap (with paperwork)
• DO NOT FREEZE