Aspergillosis in birds is typically described as which?

• A. Acute with fever
• B. Chronic with respiratory distress
• C. Only transmitted via water
• D. It affects only parrots

Answer: (B)

In birds, aspergillosis is best described as a chronic fungal infection of the respiratory tract caused by inhaled Aspergillus spores. It tends to develop slowly, with signs such as labored or difficult breathing, coughing or wheezing, nasal or airway discharge, and a waning body condition due to long-lasting respiratory compromise from granulomatous lesions in the air sacs and lungs. Fever is not the typical hallmark you’d rely on for this disease in birds. The infection is environmental—spread through inhalation of mold spores from moldy bedding, feed, or dusty air—not primarily through water. It can affect many bird species, not just parrots. This combination of a slow, progressive respiratory illness that impairs breathing makes chronic respiratory distress the most accurate description.