Preliminary necropsy results for gasping hen bad news

[Vicki B.]

Original post
8 month old hen suddenly struggling to breathe she does not show any other symptoms such as sneezing or coughing and I do not see any discharge. I had a rooster die a few months ago with what I believed was wet pox and a pullet died about the same time as the rooster that started like this hen and was dead in 3 days after the first signs of struggling to breathe she also showed no other symptoms but the gasping.I didn't necropsy either of them and I have not had any other sick chickens since then out of about 60 birds.I have been reading the symptoms of the common diseases that cause these symptoms but she doesn't exhibit some of the other symptoms of MG or wet pox, etc.
This is not looking good for my flock I am very sad.Is there anyone in the medical field that can translate some of these terms? I see Pox and Merek's mentioned when the final results are in I will consult with a vet to go over the findings.
Female leghorn mix chicken :
- Larynx and proximal trachea: Segmental epithelial hyperplasia with intracytoplasmic eosinophilic viral inclusion bodies andmild mixed leukocytic laryngitis
- Syrinx and trachea: Obstruction of the syrinx with a focal granuloma with intralesional fungal organisms with focally extensivenecrosis of the epithelium and granulomatous tracheitis; diffuse moderate lymphoplasmacytic tracheitis
- Heart: Mild, multifocal, lymphohistiocytic and heterophilic myocarditis

L a b o r a t o r y F i n d i n g s / D i a g n o s i s
02/23/2018: This chicken had severe pox lesions in the larynx and proximal trachea. The tracheal obstruction at the region of the bifurcation may have developed as a result of aspiration of feed particles and subsequent fungal growth and inflammation. Pox lesions along with the fungal granuloma likely caused clinical signs observed in this chicken. Additionally, the lesions in spleen,
heart and brain were suggestive of subclinical Marek’s disease infection which may have caused immunosuppression and predisposition to secondary infections. A final report to follow.

02/21/2018: This chicken had an obstruction of the distal trachea at the level of the syrinx (voice organ in birds) and severe
ulceration of trachea which could have led to open mouth breathing and gasping. Histopathology and other ancillary laboratory
tests (including testing for ILT, IBV, MG, MS and lung cultures) are underway to provide a definitive diagnosis. More laboratory
tests to follow.

C l i n i c a l H i s t o r y
G r o s s O b s e r v a t i o n s
Necropsy of a female chicken was performed on 02/20/2018. The chicken was moderately fleshed, with moderate amount of fatreserves and moderate postmortem decomposition. The mucosa of the larynx and the proximal 3cm of the trachea was diffuselycongested contained two large ulcerated areas covered with fibrinonecrotic pseudomembrane. The distal trachea at the level of
bifurcation/syrinx was completely blocked with thick yellow pink caseous plaques. Diffusely trachea was edematous andcongested. Lungs were diffusely rubbery, mottled dark red brown. Ovaries contained variable sized, and large ova (active ovary).
No other significant gross lesions were observed.

B a c t e r i o l o g y
Animal/Source Specimen Specimen Type
Avibacterium paragallinarum real-time PCR
Results
Sinus swab Negative
Animal/Source Specimen Specimen Type
BACTERIAL AEROBIC CULTURE
Results
Lung Swab Rothia nasimurium Rare#
Mixed flora Rare#
Animal/Source Specimen Specimen Type
Biotyper Organsim Identification
Results
Lung Swab Rothia nasimurium
B i o t e c h n o l o g y
Animal/Source Specimen Specimen Type
Infectious Bronchitis virus RNA qRT PCR
Results
Oropharyngeal/Tracheal
Swab
Not detected
Animal/Source Specimen Specimen Type
Infectious Laryngotracheitis Virus, DNA, PCR Fluids
Results
Oropharyngeal/Tracheal
Swab
Not detected
Animal/Source Specimen Specimen Type
Influenza A PCR with Internal Control
Results Oropharyngeal/Tracheal
Swab
Not Detected
Animal/Source Specimen Specimen Type
Mycoplasma Gallisepticum and Mycoplasma Synoviae
Oropharyngeal/Tracheal
Swab
Analyte Result Units
MG Not detected Ct
MS Not detected Ct
Report 4.36-CAHFS Standard Report - 11/2/2017 Page 2 of 3
CAHFS Preliminary Version 2 Accession # D1802271 February 23, 2018
H i s t o l o g y
Representative sections of lung, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, esophagus, pancreas, brain, peripheral nerves, trachea, larynx, and
intestines were examined.
Trachea: The lumen associated with tracheal bifurcation at the syrinx was plugged with a large, irregularly oval, fungal granuloma
consisting of numerous parallel wall, acute angle dichotomous branching, septate fungal organisms (compatible with Aspergillusspecies) mixed with large numbers of coccobacilli, large amount of fibrin and necrotic debris and surrounded by moderate
numbers of heterophils and histiocytes. The underlying epithelium was focally extensively necrotic and there was accumulation ofhomogenous to fibrillar eosinophilic material (fibrin). The trachea was diffusely infiltrated with small numbers of lymphocytes and
plasma cells.Larynx and proximal trachea: There was multifocal areas of thickening of the mucosa due to moderate piling up of the epithelium
in several layers (hyperplasia). The epithelial cells were markedly swollen (ballooning degeneration) and contained one to three15-20 um, glassy, eosinophilic, intracytoplasmic, viral inclusion (Bollinger body). Mucosa exhibited multifocal areas of erosion
and ulceration. There infiltration of variable quantities and concentration of mixed leukocytes population that surrounded cellular
and karyorrhectic debris.
Lung: There was focal periparabronchial infiltration of moderate numbers of lymphocytes and plasma cells.
Heart: There were multifocal perivascular to interstitial aggregates of small numbers of lymphocytes, lymphoblasts, heterophils
and plasma cells within the myocardium.
Liver: There was focal large perivascular lymphoplasmacytic aggregate.
Brain: The cortex contained a focal perivascular, infiltration of lymphocytes, blast cells and occasional plasma cells arranged in
2-3 layers.
Spleen: There were multifocal sheets of the atypical lymphoid cells scattered throughout the parenchyma and there was marked
lymphoid depletion.
Ureter and kidney: There was multifocal infiltration of small numbers of lymphocytes and plasma cells around the ureter.
I m m u n o H i s t o C h e m i s t r y
Animal/Source Specimen Specimen Type
Infectious bronchitis virus immunohistochemistry
Results Block T08 Tissue Block Pending
Report

 

[Sphynxlover]

Wish I could help. I'm sure someone will chime in. It all looks confusing to me too. Do you have plans for the remaining birds?

 

[Vicki B.]

Well if I understand correctly both pox and Merek's are not treatable only secondary infections can be treated. I feel like it is a death watch just waiting for the next chicken to show symptoms. I will never get chickens again as long as I live on this property.I have access to some of the top vets in the country with the UC Davis Vet Teaching Hospital so I will see what they suggest they are cutting edge in treatment and knowledge.

 

[Sphynxlover]

Did you have vaccinated chickens?

 

[mountaingirl196]

That’s your best bet. It looks like they’re saying it is infectious bronchitis. Certainly some sort of fungal infection that is blocking their airway and causing other damage in their respiratory system. Their lungs are supposed to be a healthy pink like ours, not the rubbery mottled dark red brown as described. Poor thing.

 

[Eggcessive]

To me it looks like all respiratory diseases are negative or pending. It looks like Mareks disease, wet fowl pox and aspergillosis, a fungal disease. The latter 2 diseases can cause cheesy patches inside the airway and beyond. Aspergillosis can also migrate to other areas in the body via the air sacs, and the vet felt like the fungus developed after possible choking on feed. Mareks disease causes a reduction of immunity to common illnesses, in addition to tumors on nerves, organs, and skin. Not all chickens will get Mareks disease, so some of your flock may survive, but will be carriers, even if they do not show symptoms.

Thank you so much for posting the necropsy results, and very sorry for your loss.

 

[coach723]

I agree with Eggcessive, Mareks looks like the underlying major cause and the others came about due to the reduced immunity. I'm so sorry for your loss, but it's really good that you got the definitive answers and thanks so much for posting the results, very informative. I would suggest that you do some reading and research on Mareks before making any major decisions, there are quite a few people on this forum that have Mareks in their flocks and manage it pretty well. Again, so sorry.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

So sorry for your loss.

That necropsy says that it likely started with the pox, creating lesions in the throat which cause accidental inhalation of some feed particles and subsequently allowed fungal growth in the lung area.

Agree with eggcessive!

I personally wouldn't let it stop me from getting chickens ever again. Mareks, yes maybe not treatable... but not a death sentence for all birds either. You can simply get vaccinated birds in the future and they will not LIKELY succumb to MDV or the tumors that come with it. It can even be among NPIP flocks and isn't part of their testing process. I know it can rear it's ugly head at any time. I was fortunate enough to have only lost (had to cull) 2 chicks out of 82 birds when we had our bout.

I haven't experience pox yet... makes me wonder about your neighbors. Interesting to see it in Ca.

Thank you SOOO much for sharing, this is a huge learning opportunity for many in this community!

Hope your other birds are strong and well.

 

[pitbullmomma]

I'm really sorry about your pullet. It's so sad when we lose one of our babies.

I'm a vet. Small animal, not poultry, but i've done (and read) a lot of necropsies.

Just scanning this quickly (you need the final impression on the final report) it looks like:

Possible Marek's leading to suppressed immune response which lead to secondary fungal infection and pox which blocked the airway with plaques, thus leading to respiratory failure.

So...fungal infection +/- pox probably killed her. Kinda like when you have a person with HIV/AIDS which suppresses the immune system, and a secondary infection (like pneumocystis carinii which causes pneumonia) wipes her out.

Doesn't mean the rest of your flock is gonna die. You could have had one severely immunocompromised individual who was susceptible to a secondary infection. I would get rid of any source of fungus in your coops/runs, do a major sanitation and cleanup when the weather is nice, and vaccinate any future flock members for Marek's....isolate any future sick chooks away from your flock.

Make sure to print the "final impressions" part when you get the final report, cuz that is the meat of all the clinical jargon. But I suspect it will be something like what I just said.

Hope this helps.

 

[Vicki B.]

Thank you everyone for your replies. No, they were not vaccinated most all came from Tractor Supply and the 25 I ordered from a hatchery 3 years ago were not vaccinated, hard lesson learned on saving a few dollars to not vaccinate.I did buy 4 Jersey Giant chicks from a private party off of Craigslist one of them is one that died at about 2 months with the same gasping symptoms that happened about 2 months ago no other sick chickens since then until now .I am beginning to think maybe it came from that source since all other chickens I have came straight from a hatchery or TSC which come from a hatchery too?? Isn't Merek's chicken to chicken not vector borne like Pox?