UPDATED: Multiple deaths. Help Needed

[ia02]

Glad she is doing good.   One chicken disease I'd like you to read up on that the symptoms match is Infectious Coryza.  Just in case there is another with these symptoms, or she becomes sick again.  Have a good day

Coryza was one of my first assumptions. All the symptoms matched, except there was no smell.

 

[ia02]

UPDATE:

In late July I purchased two more very young chicks (3-days old) to replace the birds that died. The chicks were kept in the house away from the sick adult birds and I have been diligent about hand washing, never sharing feeders/waterers, etc. I'm sure I could have practiced even more intense biosecurity, but I haven't been sloppy or careless. The two chicks came from the same store as all the other sick birds. Fast forward 8 weeks and I lost one of the two chicks. Same symptoms as all the others except the paralysis was more intense and it took much longer for the chick to die. This one basically wasted away, unable to eat or walk.

This one was sent to the University of Missouri for Necropsy.

I am wondering if there is any need to address the "fungal hyphae in granulomas of the lung" which were noted as "consistent with Aspergillus". Should I treat the remaining chickens for Aspergillosis?

Below are the full Necropsy results:

AVIAN GROSS/HISTO EXAM

SPECIES: Avian

BREED: Chicken

AGE: 8 Weeks

SPECIMEN DESC: Dead Animal

GROSS COMMENTS: The body is thin and no fat is present. The crop is empty. The gizzard
contains grit. The ceca contain pasty dark green contents.

HISTOLOGIC EXAM: The sciatic and obturator nerves are infiltrated in several areas by
neoplastic lymphocytes. The lung contains a few granulomas. Fungal
hyphae are present in association with the granulomas. No significant
microscopic changes are detected in sections of brain, trachea, liver,
kidneys, heart, crop, pancreas, or intestine.

VMDL FECAL FLOATATION: No parasite ova seen

FINAL DIAGNOSIS: Lymphosarcoma of nerves

COMMENTS: This type of tumor in chickens is caused by infection with
Marek's disease virus (a herpesvirus). The neoplastic (tumor) cells
invade nerves and impair their function leading to weakness and
paralysis. In commercial chickens the disease is controlled by
vaccination of chicks in the hatchery. The fungal hyphae in the
granulomas of the lung are consistent with Aspergillus sp.

 

[mirandaleecon]

UPDATE:

In late July I purchased two more very young chicks (3-days old) to replace the birds that died. The chicks were kept in the house away from the sick adult birds and I have been diligent about hand washing, never sharing feeders/waterers, etc. I'm sure I could have practiced even more intense biosecurity, but I haven't been sloppy or careless. The two chicks came from the same store as all the other sick birds. Fast forward 8 weeks and I lost one of the two chicks. Same symptoms as all the others except the paralysis was more intense and it took much longer for the chick to die. This one basically wasted away, unable to eat or walk.

This one was sent to the University of Missouri for Necropsy.

I am wondering if there is any need to address the "fungal hyphae in granulomas of the lung" which were noted as "consistent with Aspergillus". Should I treat the remaining chickens for Aspergillosis?

Below are the full Necropsy results:

AVIAN GROSS/HISTO EXAM

SPECIES: Avian

BREED: Chicken

AGE: 8 Weeks

SPECIMEN DESC: Dead Animal

GROSS COMMENTS: The body is thin and no fat is present. The crop is empty. The gizzard
contains grit. The ceca contain pasty dark green contents.

HISTOLOGIC EXAM: The sciatic and obturator nerves are infiltrated in several areas by
neoplastic lymphocytes. The lung contains a few granulomas. Fungal
hyphae are present in association with the granulomas. No significant
microscopic changes are detected in sections of brain, trachea, liver,
kidneys, heart, crop, pancreas, or intestine.

VMDL FECAL FLOATATION: No parasite ova seen

FINAL DIAGNOSIS: Lymphosarcoma of nerves

COMMENTS: This type of tumor in chickens is caused by infection with
Marek's disease virus (a herpesvirus). The neoplastic (tumor) cells
invade nerves and impair their function leading to weakness and
paralysis. In commercial chickens the disease is controlled by
vaccination of chicks in the hatchery. The fungal hyphae in the
granulomas of the lung are consistent with Aspergillus sp.

I would focus more on the Marek's. Aspergillus fungi are present all the time, infection is usually from a compromised immunity or an over abundance of the fungus. If you are keeping their living area dry and addressing any possible sources of mold overgrowth, it shouldn't be what is causing the deaths. I would say Marek's is weakening them and the Aspergillus is taking advantage of that...BUT if you have any more showing symptoms of Marek's, it might not be a bad idea to treat them then for Aspergillosis as that may make things worse. I just wouldn't treat for it as a preventative. Am I making sense?

 

[ia02]

This makes perfect sense. I did some reading on Aspergillosis and the information I found seems to be consistent with your suggestion.

I think we are in a holding pattern for now. Thanks for the reply..