Fungal pathogens associated with respiratory problems in broiler chickens

Abstract EN

Fungal diseases of poultry have become problematic as bacterial and viral diseases.

Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the prevalence of fungal agents in broiler chickens suffering from respiratory disorders.

The prevalence rate of fungal isolation was 53.1% including mycelia fungi (42%) and yeast isolates (11.1%).

Mould isolates were identified as Aspergillus fumigatus (21.7%), Aspergillus flavus (8.4%), Aspergillus niger (8.4%), Aspergillus nidulans (1.3%), Cladosporium spp.

(0.4%) and Penicillium spp.

(1.8%).

Concerning yeast isolates, Candida spp.

was the most predominant which were identified as C.

albicans, C.

pseudotropicalis (2.7% each), C.

krusei, C.

regosa (2.2% each), and C.

stellatoidea (0.4%).

Moreover, one Cryptococcus sp.

was recovered and identified as C.

neoformans (0.9%).

PCR assay using oligonucleotide primer amplifying a 570 bp fragment based on ITS region gene was conducted on randomly selected 9 isolates including 6 Aspergillus spp.

(A.

flavus, A.

niger, A.

fumigates; 2 each) as well as 3 yeast isolates (two isolates of C.

albicans and one isolate of C.

neoformans).

All tested isolates had positive reactions.