Epidemic Venereal Disease Due to Candida albicans in Geese in Israel

Abstract

A disease affecting flocks of crossed Embden and Toulouse geese kept for production of fertile eggs caused loss of body weight and marked decrease in the percent of fertile eggs. The cause, found to be an inflammatory condition of the penis and cloaca in the birds when treading first began, was observed originally in 1968. In early lesions there was swelling redness, and dullness of the mucosa of the penis or cloaca. This was very obvious when compared with normal organs (Fig. 1). Subsequently, the distal 0.5-2 cm of some penises became black and gangrenous and sloughed off, leaving an inadequate organ. Ulcers or granulomas developed on the sides of penises or in cloacae also (Figs. 2, 3, 4). In 1972 nearly all the young flocks in the center of the country were affected. Investigations showed that the disease was caused primarily by Candida albicans, although there was a concomitant mixed bacterial infection. Older geese surviving infections of previous years remained healthy. The geese were kept in groups of 100-1,875. The male-tofemale ratio varied from 1:3 to 1:10. Some farms had pools for swimming and some only had containers for unlimited drinking. Some farms were muddy and others were dry, though all had shaded areas. There was no uniformity in food supplies. All received food concentrate, but obtained from different manufactur-