CANDIDIASIS (THRUSH)

Introduction Candida species have a worldwide distribution and are part of the microflora of the healthy digestive system of humans, animals, and birds. Candidiasis is an opportunistic endogenous mycosis in that perturbance of the microflora or other debilitation of the host, rather than exposure to an external source, is the initiator of pathologic infection.

Etiology Candida albicans is the primary agent of thrush, although other Candida species have been isolated from both healthy and diseased birds. C. ravautii, C. salmonicola, C. guilliermondi, C. parapsilosis, C. catenulata, or C. brumptii

Clinical Signs Signs are not particularly characteristic. Affected chicks show unsatisfactory growth, stunted appearance, listlessness, and roughness of feathers. When candidiasis occurs as a secondary infection, the signs of the predisposing disease may predominate the clinical picture.

Young birds are more susceptible than older birds to mycosis of the digestive tract. Thus, as infected birds grow older, they tend to overcome the infection.

Gross Lesions Lesions occur most frequently in the crop and consist of thickening of the mucosa with whitish, raised circular or rugose formations. Often, there are curdy pseudomembranous necrotic patches that are peeled easily from the eroded mucosal surface. The mouth and esophagus may be diphtheritic and eroded.

H. Candidiasis (crop mycosis) H. Candidiasis (crop mycosis). Crop is markedly thickened by a soft, yellow-white to gray irregular pseudomembrane, which has a curdlike appearance.

Diagnosis A clinical picture including poor hygiene or history of long-term antimicrobial therapy is supportive when Candidiasis is suspected. Direct microscopic examination of fresh tissue samples is useful if pseudohyphae and budding yeast can be demonstrated.

Treatment and Control Because mycosis of the digestive tract is apt to be related to unhygienic, unsanitary, overcrowded conditions, they should not be allowed to exist or should be corrected. Lesions in the mouth can be treated by local application of a suitable antiseptic. Appearance of the disease in very young chicks suggests that the surface of the egg is a source of infection. Such a possibility could be removed by dipping eggs in an iodine preparation prior to incubation.

1:2000 solution of CuSO4 for turkeys be used as the sole source of drinking water