Mycosis in Broiler Chicken: Outbreak of Sudden Death Syndrome in Nepal

PUBLICATION DATE:  25/06/2009

RATING

AUTHOR:  Kedar Karki ,Poornima Manandhar,Banshi Sharma, Senior Veterinary Officer Salina Manandhar, Pragya Koirala Veterinary Officer; Central Veterinary Laboratory in Kathmandu Tripureswor, Nepal

Background of outbreak of Sudden Death Syndrome in Kathmandu Valley.

During the first week of August 2008 there sudden increase in mortality of broilers above 6 week age (Table 1). There are no premonitory signs. Just before death, birds appear normal and it is common to observe the birds feeding, drinking or walking normally. Then suddenly, affected birds exhibit clinical signs such as extending their neck, squawk and start wing beating as well as leg extension before falling back on their back and die suddenly.

Table: 1. Epidemiology of Affected flock with sudden Death Syndrome in Month of August 2008:

Postmortem finding of SDS birds:

Postmortem examination of birds that died of sudden death syndrome revealed showed no outstanding gross pathology. All birds were well fleshed, with muscle oedema and general pulmonary congestion and oedema. Feed was present along the entire digestive tract and the gall bladders of birds are usually empty. The liver and kidneys were usually slightly congested and have patchy subcapsular haemorrhage. Usually, the proventriculus contains a milky fluid, and intact food particles are present in gizzard. Congestive splenomegaly was observed in almost all birds. All these post mortem observations conform to the descriptions of the syndrom made by Ononiwu et. al. (1979).

Laboratory Finding of Mycobiota and Microbiota of Postmortem Tissue samples:

A total 86 tissue samples of lung, iver, speen, peoventriculus and gizzard, were collected during postmortem examination and were subjected for both bacterial and mycological culture. Results of microbiological examination done are given in Table 2.

Table: 2.

Treatment and Preventive measure given to the rest of birds in flock:

All birds remaining in flocks were subjected to restricted feed up to 8-10%, and feed to twice daily only. Supplementation with glucose containing electrolyte, liquid toxin binders, immunomodulator, and simple broad-spectrum antibiotics were provided in water. Vitamin B complex supplementation was totally withdrawn. All birds remaining in all affected farms responded well to the above management and there were marked improvement in the overall condition of the flock.

Discussion.

Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) is an acute heart failure disease that affects mainly male fast growing chickens that seem to be in good condition. Although a common condition in fast growing birds, the pathogenesis remains unclear (Ononiwu et. al. 1979). Cardiac arrhythmias are involved in the pathogenesis of SDS with ventricular arrhythmias (VA) being the most common observation representing premature ventricular contractions and fibrillation (Olkowski and Classen, 1997; 1998). It has been reported that broilers fed with high vitamin D3 diet above the recommended levels in an attempt to prevent commonly occurring leg problems were 2.5 fold more likely to succumb to acute heart failure and die of SDS (Nain et. Al. 2007). SDS was also experimentally induced by feeding diets containing the mycotoxin moniliformin that resulted to cardiac injury with subsequent alterations in cardiac electrical conductance (Reams et al, 1997) suggesting the possible role of chronic mycotoxicosis to the causation of SDS. Other implicated causes of SDS include continuous artificial lighting (Ononiwu et al, 1979b), deviations in dietary calcium and phosphorus (Scheideler et al, 1995),  feeding crumble-pellet diets (Proudfoot et al, 1982), dietary fat content (Rotter et al, 1985) and feeding frequency Bowes et al, 1988). The latter recommendation of restricted feeding supports well the previous observation that abdominal fat deposition increases the risk of SDS such that restrictions on calorie:protein ratio decreases the incidence of SDS (Mollison et al, 1984).
The present investigation indicates that broilers in good body weight condition when not harvested timely and remain in poultry shade for prolonged periods suffer stressful events and even sudden death. Also, it is possible that the increased humidity and hot season favors the growth of mold and fungus in stored feeds increasing the risk of birds to mycotoxicosis. This incidence of sudden death syndrome in birds in Kathmandu Valley was reported for the first time and needs to be investigated further.

References.

Bowes VA, R.J. Julian, S. Leeson and T. Stirtzinger (1988). Effect of feed restriction on feed efficiency and incidence of sudden death syndrome in broiler chickens. Poultry Science 67(7):1102-4
Mollison B., W. Guenter,and B.R. Boycott (1984). Abdominal fat deposition and sudden death syndrome in broilers: the effects of restricted intake, early life caloric (fat) restriction, and calorie: protein ratio. Poultry Science 63(6):1190-200
Nain S, B. Laarveld B, C. Wojnarowicz C, and A.A. Olkowski (2007). Excessive dietary vitamin D supplementation as a risk factor for sudden death syndrome in fast growing commercial broilers. Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part A, Molecular & Integrative Physiology 148(4):828-33
Olkowski, A.A., C. Wojnarowicz, S. Nain, B. Ling, J. M. Alcorn, and B. Laarveld (2008). A study on pathogenesis of sudden death syndrome in broiler chickens. Research in Veterinary Science 2008 Aug;85(1):131-40
Ononiwu, J.C., R.G. Thomson, H.C. Carlson, and R.J. Julian. (1979). Pathological Studies of "Sudden Death Syndrome" in Broiler Chickens. Canadian Veterinary Journal 20(3): 70-73
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Olkowski A.A. and H.L. Classen (1998). High incidence of cardiac arrhythmias in broiler chickens. Zentralblatt für Veterinärmedizin. Reihe A 45(2):83-91
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Proudfoot FG, H.W. Hulan, K.B. McRae (1982). The effect of crumbled and pelleted feed on the incidence of sudden death syndrome among male chicken broilers. Poultry Science 61(8):1766-8
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Acknowledgment:

We would like to thank Dr. Dev Raj Adhikari SVO and incharge of Central Veterinary Hospital Tripureshwor, Kathmandu for providining early indication of problem. Thanks are due to Mr.Bal Bahadur Kunwar Srnior Vet.Technician and Mr.Bhimsen Adhikari Vet.Technician of Microbioly Unit of Central Veterinary Laboratory for doing the microbiology works, Dr Esmeraldo M. Cabana, Veterinary Pathologist, Animal Health Laboratories, Diagnostic Services Branch Department of Primary Industries and Water, Tasmania, Australia, and Dr. Lin Tsang Long, Avian Pathologist, and Dr. Stephen B. Hooser, Stephen, Head, Toxicology Section and Assistant Director, Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory Purdue University U.S.A for their critique of the manuscript. Dr.Poornima Manandhar, Chief of CVL Tripureshwor deserve special thanks from this investigation team.

PUBLICATION DATE:  25/06/2009

RATING

AUTHOR:  Kedar Karki ,Poornima Manandhar,Banshi Sharma, Senior Veterinary Officer Salina Manandhar, Pragya Koirala Veterinary Officer; Central Veterinary Laboratory in Kathmandu Tripureswor, Nepal