Aspergillosis in Poultry: Brooder Pneumonia & Treatment
A veterinary reference guide on fungal spore transmission, lung pathology, and sanitization.
Scientific Overview
Aspergillosis, also known as Brooder Pneumonia, is an acute or chronic fungal respiratory disease of birds caused by Aspergillus fumigatus. Fungal spores thrive in damp litter and contaminate chick lungs in the brooder.
Aspergillosis Symptoms & Pathology
Aspergillosis symptoms in poultry include silent gasping (dyspnea), rapid breathing (hyperpnea) without associated tracheal rales, extreme somnolence (sleepiness), and central nervous signs (paralysis, twisting neck) if the fungus metastasizes to the brain.
Chicks are highly susceptible during the first 3 weeks of life. Post-mortem necropsy reveals numerous firm, yellow-white nodular lesions (1-3 mm) scattered throughout the lung tissue and thickened air sacs covered in green, moldy fungal growth. Identify these respiratory signs using the Diagnostic Wizard.
Fungal Spore Transmission & Litter Risk Factors
Transmission occurs through inhalation of millions of microscopic conidia (spores) of Aspergillus fumigatus. Spores originate from moldy wood shavings, straw litter, or contaminated hatchery incubators. High relative humidity combined with warm brooding temperatures (>32°C) creates the perfect incubator for fungal growth in damp bedding.
Aspergillosis Treatment & Brooder Sanitation
There is no effective or economically viable individual antibiotic or antifungal treatment of Aspergillosis in poultry. Control relies entirely on preventive sanitation: immediately remove damp, moldy litter, spray wood shavings with copper sulfate solutions (1:2000 dilution), and ensure high negative air pressure ventilation to exhaust dust and spores, calculated using our Ventilation Fan CFM Calculator.
All scientific data, diagnostic criteria, and performance benchmarks presented on this page are derived from published peer-reviewed journals and official veterinary codes:
- Avian Pathology & Diagnostics: World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH, 2023). Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals. Paris, France.
- Poultry Diseases & Histology: Swayne, D.E., et al. (2020). Diseases of Poultry (14th ed.). Wiley-Blackwell / American Association of Avian Pathologists.
- Nutrition & Feed Chemistry: Leeson, S. & Summers, J.D. (2001). Commercial Poultry Nutrition (3rd ed.). University Books, Guelph, Ontario.
- Commercial Breed Standards: Aviagen (2024). Ross 308 & Cobb 500 Broiler Performance Objectives. / Lohmann Breeders (2024). Lohmann Brown Management Guide.