Nutrition for Preventing Aspergillosis, Part 1

Last month this column revealed that the key to preventing our birds from becoming infected with aspergillosis is directly linked to their diet and the level of nutrition they receive. We learned that, according to The American Society for Microbiology, the reason there has been such a dramatic increase worldwide in severe and fatal aspergillosis infections, is due to the increased number of immunosuppressed people. This information corresponds to avian aspergillosis data. Louise Bauck DVM, cautions us to always be aware that an aspergillosis infection is secondary to a condition that first caused the immune system to become suppressed or compromised. And, in order to prevent an aspergillosis infection, it is imperative that this fundamental, underlying, condition be addressed.

Two factors cause an individual’s immune system to become suppressed. The first are environmental stressors, and the second is inadequate nutrition. Nutritional research done at Louisiana State University, US, has shown that even mild-to-moderate undernutrition, as well as specific deficiencies of vitamins, minerals, or trace elements, compromises the immune system’s ability to respond.

Read more in the magazine…