Dermatophytes and other skin mycoses found in featherless broiler toe webs

Feartherless broilers which are produced by a complex breeding programme from feathered parents carrying the Sc-gene, dissipates excessive body heat under hot and humid conditions. It has high body weight, and grows very rapidly when compared with standard commercial broilers. Their toe webs are bigger than standard commercial broilers, and could harbor fungi which can cause infections where there is the opportunity. To isolate and identify the presence of fungi in toe webs of featherless broilers. A total of 50 featherless broilers' toe webs samples were examined microscopically for the presence of fungi. The samples were examined microscopically and culturally using standard microbiological techniques. The fungi recovered were as follows. Microsporum gypseum 9 [22%], Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes 5 [12%], Microsporum gallinae 3 [7%], Aspergilus flavus 10 [24%], Fusarium sp 6 [15%], Alternaria alternata 3 [7%] Scopulariopsis brevicaulis 2 [5%] and Candida albicans 3 [7%], The featherless broilers' toe webs habour fungi which cause mycotic skin disease and cannot be regarded as ordinary normal flora of toe webs

Isolation of kerationphilic fungi and other dermatophytes from feathers of nigerian turkey

The study determined the prevalence of keratinophilic fungi and other dermatophytes from the feathers of Turkey in Nigeria. A total of 100 samples between August to December 2004 were selected and examined for the occurrence of keratinophilic fungi and dermatophytes. Only 23 showed some scaling and peeling around the feathers. Diagnosis by culture showed that 5 different genera of fungi were recovered from 78 of the 100 samples screened. They included Microsporum gallinae, 11 [14%], Microsporum gypseum, 15 [19%], Trichephyton mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes, 5 [6%], Trichophyton equinum, 5 [6%], Arthroderma curreyi, 6 [8%], Chrysosporium tropicum, 20 [26%] and Ctenomyces serratus, 16 [21%]. Chrysosporium tropicum and Ctenomyles serratus were the most frequently isolated keratinophilic fungi. The abdominal region was the commonest site of isolation of keratinophilic and other dermatophytes in 55 [70.5%] of the 78 positive samples. The study further showed that turkey feathers that are apparently healthy harbour variety of fungi that may be potential pathogens