Fungal Mycotic Disease in poultry is an illness caused by fungi or mold and has a high morbidity and mortality in birds, particularly younger birds. Identifying and treating any fungal disease outbreaks, should be done as quickly as possible to reduce spreading through the flock.
​Causes:

• Direct infection

Direct physical infection spread from one bird to another by physical contact, blood or body fluids.

• Improper feeding or feed storage

Production of Mycotoxins  (certain fungi or mold found in  certain foods, such as cereal, spices, nuts, dried fruits, apples, and coffee beans and can develop in poultry feed which is kept in warm and humid conditions) which are secondary fungal metabolites produced in grains or poultry feed.​
​Symptoms of Fungal Mycotic Disease in Chickens and other Poultry:

• Stunted growth
• Diarrhea
• Fatal Avian Encephalitis ( AE is a viral disease found in young chickens, turkeys, Japanese quail, pheasants, and pigeons).

Preventing Fungal Mycotic Disease

• Cleanliness

Wash hands before and after handling birds, coops, nest boxes, bedding etc. Keep food and water clean at all times, Keep bedding clean and dry as well as, and areas where bird live and play dry.
Sanitize  and disinfect everything at least once a week and more often for feed and water containers.

• Store feed in a cool dry place.
• Adhere to strict Biosecurity guidelines

"Precautionary measures during crop production, harvesting and storing and in feed mixing plants can help to check the fungal infections including health hazards of mycotoxins/mycotoxicosis. The present review describes the fungal pathogens causing diseases in poultry/birds, especially focusing to their diagnosis, prevention and control measures, which would help in formulating appropriate strategies to have a check and control on these unwanted troubles to the poultry producers/farmers" (Science Alert, 2020).
Treatments:
Treatments should only be given or supervised by a licensed veterinarian.

• Copper sulphate at 60 g quintal-1 of feed for 6 days is effective for treatment of aspergillosis ( a fungus most often found in hay which infects tissues-often found in the lungs, in humans is referred to as farmers lung) In outbreaks, drinking water with 1:2000 aqueous solution of copper sulphate needs to be provided.
• Tetracycline at 200 mg L-1 of drinking water should be given for 5 days to treat aspergillus infections in chicks.  (Science Alert, 2020).

​Fungal Diseases in Poultry:

• Aspergillosis
• Candidiasis
• Dactylariosis
• Cryptococcosis
• Favus
• Rhodotorulosis
• Torulopsis
• Mucormycoses
• Histopiasmosis
• Cryptococcosis

 (Science Alert, 2020).

More About Chicken Health

Sick Chickens-Signs, Symptoms & Treatments

Vaccinations for Chickens

Practicing Biosecurity to Keep Chickens Healthy

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Science Alert. 2020. Fungal/Mycotic Diseases Of Poultry-Diagnosis, Treatment And Control: A Review. [online] Available at: <https://scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=pjbs.2013.1626.1640> [Accessed 5 May 2020].