In the poultry industry, aspergillosis may not be a new term. This fungal disease is often considered trivial, even though its impact can be very serious.
Also known as brooder pneumonia, mycotic pneumonia, or pneumomycosis, this disease is caused by fungi of the genus Aspergillus, particularly Aspergillus fumigatus. Although it may sound simple, this fungal infection can significantly affect poultry performance if not prevented early.
To gain deeper insight into this disease, the Poultry Indonesia team interviewed drh. Agung Puji Haryanto, S.KH, a Lecturer in the Animal Science Study Program at Djuanda University, via an online interview on Thursday (6/11).
“Aspergillosis generally attacks young chicks, especially those under five days old. If it is found at more than 15 days of age, it is usually already in a chronic form. In broilers, cases are commonly found under seven days old, but if the house conditions are dirty and humid, it can still appear at 18 days of age.”
In layer chickens, aspergillosis cases usually occur in the early rearing phase, namely under five weeks of age. However, the disease can reappear at 18 to 35 weeks of age if housing conditions are unclean and dusty.
“I have even found cases at 30 weeks of age, although this is quite rare. Generally, it does affect young birds. Therefore, house cleanliness is absolutely crucial,” he said.
Causes and Triggering Factors
Aspergillosis develops due to a combination of environmental, feed, and management factors. Agung explained that Aspergillus fungi thrive in humid conditions and high temperatures, two factors commonly found in poultry houses with poor ventilation or poorly managed litter.
“Fungal contamination can come from anywhere—rice husk litter, feed, even dust around the house. Sometimes we are not aware that feed is stored in warehouses with high humidity. Once the moisture content of raw materials exceeds 14%, fungi can grow. That is why storage must be truly dry, with good air circulation, and the warehouse also needs disinfection, not just the poultry house.”
Interestingly, this disease is not transmitted vertically from parent stock to offspring, but rather through the environment and contaminated materials. Fungal spores are extremely small and light, allowing them to be carried by wind throughout the poultry house and even move from one house to another.
Although many farms now use closed house systems, this does not mean aspergillosis disappears automatically. According to him, the use of technology such as closed houses, if not accompanied by good management practices, will still allow diseases to persist.
This article is an excerpt from the Health section of Poultry Indonesia Magazine, December 2025 Edition. Read the full article in Poultry Indonesia Magazine – December 2025 Edition. For subscriptions or further information, please contact:
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