Infectious coryza in a flock of peafowls (Pavo cristatus) in the University of Ilorin zoological garden

Abstract

Twenty-two peafowls (Pavo cristatus) affected by a disease of the upper respiratory tract were referred to the University of Ilorin Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria, for diagnosis and treatment. During the course of the disease, peacocks showed more severe clinical signs including respiratory distress, swollen head/face, gaping, purulent nasal and ocular discharges, occluded eyelids, moist rales, anorexia, depression and recumbency. Tracheal and ocular swabs sent to the Microbiology Laboratory in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Ilorin, for a microbial culture and isolation revealed the presence of an organism with satellitic growth on chocolate agar and Gram-negative rods under a light microscope which was identified as Avibacterium paragallinarum. With this, coupled with the clinical signs observed, a diagnosis of infectious coryza was made. Treatment protocol from day 1 of presentation comprised use of injectable antibiotics at oxytetracycline long acting once and tylosin for 3 days combined with multivitamins and vitamin C in water for 5 days; then on release of laboratory results, Keproceryl® powder and mebendazole powder were used in water for 5 days. Treatment proved highly responsive as no mortality was recorded during and after the course of treatment of the birds, as marked improvement was observed 5 days post-treatment.