Clinical, pathologico-anatomic and mycological studies of aspergillosis in ostrich (Struthio camelus)

Aspergillosis is known as the most commonly occurring mycotic infection in variety of avian species causing significant economic losses in terms of poor growth, decrease in overall production and/or mortality in different species of birds including ostrich throughout the world due to aspergillosis. This study describes clinical, histopathological and mycological findings in an adult ostrich. An adult ostrich with history of simultaneous occurrence of blocked bladder associated with penile protrusion, proventriculus impaction and testicular ailments died of aspergillosis infection. Different clinical signs such as anorexia, dysponea and coughing were observed prior to death. Necropsy findings showed significant enlargement of urinary bladder impacted with yellow color and amorphous material. Spherical grayish white raised areas of caseous necrotic foci of variable diameter were sparsely spread over the air sacs. Proventriculus was full of gravel; iron bars corn cobs and plastic bottles. Multiple solitary well circumscribed nodules with hard consistency, hanging with fibrous threads in air sacs were packed with yellow cheesy material. Grossly the testes were smaller in size and hard in consistency. Histologically, the in testes atrophy seminerous tubules, increased connective tissue proliferation and chronic inflammatory cell infiltration was observed. Moreover, the seminerous tubules were lined by one to two layers of germinal epithelial cells exhibiting degenerative and necrotic changes and reduced process of spermatogenesis. Some tubules showed obliterated lumen and multinucleated giant cells with engulfed necrotic cells were also observed. Results on mycological examination, staining with lactophenol, Giemsa’s and florescent stain revealed presence of prominent fungal hyphae and sporangium. Histologically, the lungs tissue revealed multiple areas of caseous necrosis. The current study describes novel finding of blocked bladder and fungus infection in an ostrich that died of aspergillosis.