Causes: Ingestion of food or water with too high a level of nitrofurone antibacterial drug.

Effects: Incoordination, loud vocalisation, opisthotonos (arching of the head and spine backwards), aimless running, flying, partial paralysis, ascites and convulsions can be seen. Birds are commonly found on their sides.

Common antibiotic and anticoccidial compounds. Chickens, turkeys and ducks or all ages, but in particular young, are susceptible to this acute to chronic disease. The agent involved in the aetiology of this disease is nitrofurazone (NFZ), toxicity causes dose-related biventricular cardiomyopathy and prominent dilation of ventricles and thinning of the right or left ventricle.

Ingestion of food or water with too high a level of the drug causes the disease.

It is a drug residue problem. Nitrofurans are commonly added to the water to treat bacterial septicaemia. Nitrofurans are a class of broad-spectrum antibacterial compounds. However, they have been recently withdrawn for use in the United States by the FDA.

Incoordination, loud vocalisation, opisthotonos (arching of the head and spine in a backwards direction), aimless running, flying, partial paralysis, ascites and convulsions can be seen.

Birds are commonly down on their sides.

Catarrhal enteritis, lung oedema, congestion of the kidneys of liver, cardiac enlargement, and ascites can be observed.

Feed analysis is diagnostic.

Clinical signs, gross and microscopic lesions are helpful. Microscopic heart lesions include oedema, thinning of mycocardial muscle fibres and increased connective tissue.

It simulates coban toxicity, salt toxicity and ascites, which may cause right ventricular hypertrophy.

A spot check of feed or water is helpful.

Fresh feed or water will reverse the disease.

Back to "N" Health & Diseases page

Back to main Health & Diseases page