Ostrich chick fading syndrome(OCFS) caused by bacterial infection of farmed ostrich chicks

세균감염에 의한 초생타조(Struthio camelus camelus)의 쇠약 증후군의 발생 증례

The most common cause of death is ostrich chick fading syndrome(OCFS), which is due to bacterial infection during artificial incubation and hatching. Six farmed ostrich chicks aged 3 and 10 days in Chonbuk province, were submitted to Chonbuk Livestock Development and Research Institute for necropsy, Clinically, birds showed hair loss, ocular exudate, lethargy, diarrhea, and subsequently died 3-5 days after onset of clinical signs. Grossly, umbilicus was enlarged. White-yellowish purulent nodules were scattered on the lung and the membrane of air-sac was thickened and had inflamed exudate on the surface in two chicks that died 3 days after hatching. In 10 days-old chick, intestine was shown rodding segmentally. Yolk sac was still retarded and its surface was partially hemorrahgic. The synovial fluid of the leg was yellowish. Microscopically, multifocal purulent exudates were scattered on the lung. Capillary microthrombi in the glomerulus were prominent and tubular epithelia were necrotic. Necrotic hepatocytes were scattered and intestine were congested. Microbiologically, Pseudomonas sp and/or E coli were isolated from air-sac, lung and/or liver. This case suggests that poor hygiene during artificial incubation, hatching or in the first week after hatching may cause high mortality of the ostrich chicks.