Occurrence: Worldwide. Species affected: All. Age affected: All.

Causes: Candida albicans is a yeast-like fungus which is spread via contaminated faeces, litter and dirty waterers. Often occurs after over application of antibiotics.

Effects: Emaciation, stunting, listlessness, increased thirst, depression, rough appearance to feathers.

All species of bird of all ages but in particular the young, are susceptible to this chronic disease. The agent involved in the aetiology of this disease is Candida Albicans, which is a yeast-like fungus.

It is spread via contaminated faeces, litter and dirty waterers.

Often seen after too long use of broad spectrum antibiotics.

Signs include emaciation, stunting, listlessness, increased thirst, depression and rough appearance to feathers.

Whitish pustules or nodules in mouth, crop and oesophagus, and white towel appearance in upper digestive tract are common.

Ulceration of the mouth and oesophagus, haemorrhagic mucosa in the proventriculus and focal necrosis of the liver can occur.

Slimy white lesions in the upper digestive tract are diagnostic. The organism can be isolated from lesions on Sabouraud’s Dextrose agar. Colonies are whitish, creamy and highly convex. The hyphae and spores can be seen in a fresh smear.

Clean up water spills, don’t give birds sugar water for more than one day and use water sanitisers to prevent build up of yeast.

Mycostatin, copper sulphate in water and nystatin (50 g/t) in the feed can treat the disease. It is similar to trichomoniasis, Vitamin A deficiency, Wet Pox and T-2 toxicosis.

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