Dactylariosis: A Newly Recognized Fungus Disease of Chickens

SUMMARY A fatal encephalitis of chickens, caused by the thermophilic fungus Dactylaria gallopava, affected over 200 birds in a flock of 65,000 broilers. The disease was reproduced experimentally by inoculating spore suspensions into 1-day-old chicks via the left posterior thoracic air sac, the left maxillary sinus, and also intracerebrally. Gross and microscopic lesions were found in the brains, air sacs, lungs, eyes, and livers. The brain lesions were like those in the natural outbreak, and D. gallopava was recovered from the inoculated chickens. The brain lesions were compared with those in birds with aspergillosis.