Candidiasis in layer chickens in Korea

Candidiasis is a mycosis caused by the mycelial yeast of the Candida genus which is opportunistic pathogen of humans, animals, and birds. Under some conditions such as prolonged antibiotic therapy, overcrowding, and immunosuppression, the opportunistic Candida can cause disease. Chicken candidiasis is sporadically occurred and characterized by unsatisfactory growth, listlessness, roughness of feathers, and death. A case of 23 weeks old layer with history of increased mortality and anemia was submitted to our Lab. At necropsy, the characteristic lesions were observed in the crop and proventriculus. The whitish pseudomembrane, that are peeled easily, was found in the crop. Proventriculus was swollen and the mucosa was covered with hemorrhagic exudate. The histological changes of the affected crop are epithelial hyperplasia, hydropic degeneration, and mycelia formation. Smears made from the necrotic mucosal surfaces of the crop revealed the presence of large number of yeast cells and mycelia. Pure cultures of yeast colonies were obtained from the potato dextrose agar. The yeast cells were identified as Candida albicans by gene sequencing. To our knowledge, this is the first report of candidiasis in chickens with anemia in Korea.