Diagnosing Respiratory Fungal Infection in Birds

Aspergillosis is an infection caused by Aspergillus, a common fungus, which can cause serious respiratory disease and is a major cause of sickness and mortality in both wild and captive birds. The disease, which sometimes spreads to the liver and other organs, can cause an acute, rapidly fatal respiratory infection. Existing diagnostic tests for aspergillosis in birds are costly, slow to provide results and not always accurate. For these reasons, diagnostic techniques for aspergillosis have been difficult to adapt and use in rehabilitation and clinical settings. Researchers will compare avian diagnostic tests to a newly developed point-of-care device for the detection of this fungal infection in humans. A rapid, low-cost technique for earlier diagnosis of aspergillosis in birds could significantly improve clinical outcomes for rehabilitated and captive avian patients worldwide.