Assessment of Aspergillus fumigatus pathogenicity in aerosol-challenged chickens ( Gallus gallus ) belonging to two lineages

• Published in: Comparative immunology, microbiology and infectious diseases Vol. 36; no. 4; pp. 379 - 385
• Main Authors: Thierry, Simon, Durand, Benoit, Melloul, Elise, Tafani, Jean-Pierre, Wang, Dong Ying, Deville, Manjula, Cordonnier, Nathalie, Chermette, René, Guillot, Jacques, Arné, Pascal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-07-2013
• Subjects: Allergy and Immunology; Animals; Aspergillosis; Aspergillus fumigatus; Aspergillus fumigatus - immunology; Broiler, Layer; Chickens; Colony Count, Microbial - veterinary; Dexamethasone - pharmacology; Experimental model; Female; Gallus gallus; Histocytochemistry - veterinary; Immunosuppresion; Immunosuppressive Agents - pharmacology; Infectious Disease; Inhalation Exposure - adverse effects; Inhalational model; Poultry Diseases - genetics; Poultry Diseases - immunology; Poultry Diseases - microbiology; Pulmonary Aspergillosis - genetics; Pulmonary Aspergillosis - immunology; Pulmonary Aspergillosis - microbiology; Pulmonary Aspergillosis - veterinary; Random Allocation; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; Survival Analysis; Broiler, Layer; Inhalational model; Immunosuppresion; Aspergillus fumigatus; Aspergillosis; Experimental model
• ISSN: 0147-9571; 1878-1667
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2013.01.003

Abstract Infection due to the mold Aspergillus fumigatus remains a common and life-threatening infection in many animals, especially birds. Animal models are still required to better understand the physiopathology of infection and evaluate diagnostic tools and treatment procedures. The aim of the present study was to assess the pathogenicity of A. fumigatus in two lineages of chicken ( Gallus gallus ): SPF White Leghorn PA12 layers and conventional JA657 broilers. Four-day-old birds were experimentally infected in an inhalation chamber in order to reproduce a “natural” contamination and to obtain a large repartition of conidia into the respiratory tract. Half of the chicks were injected subcutaneously with dexamethasone for 4 days before the infective challenge. At days 0 and 7, the effects of chicken lineage and immunosuppressive treatment on pulmonary fungal burden were analyzed using two linear mixed models. The pathogenicity of A. fumigatus varied according to the lineage: no clinical signs and no mortality were observed in layer chickens whereas more than 50% of mortality occurred in broilers. The effect of immunosuppressive treatment was also demonstrated, notably on animals weight but also on mortality.