Congenital cataract in 1-day-old French Mulard ducklings

Sara Belluco (1) , Sabine Chahory (2) , Vanore Maria (2) , Bérengère Wyrzykowski (1) , Renaud Fleurance (1) , Hervé Morin (3) , Alicia Torriglia (4) , Monique Wyers (1) , Marie-Anne Colle (1)

1 DPTM - Développement et Pathologie du Tissu Musculaire
2 Unité d'Ophtalmologie
3 GRIMAUD FRERE
4 CRC (UMR_S 872) - Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers

Ocular opacity, associated with reluctance to move and inability to feed properly, was observed in approximately 1% of all newly hatched females from several related flocks of Mulard ducks. A 5-week follow-up study of ten 1-day-old affected females was performed, and they were compared with 10 control animals. Clinical, ocular and ultrasonographic examinations, a complete necropsy of 2 animals per group with histological examination of the eye, were performed weekly. A bilateral immature cortical anterior cataract was diagnosed at ocular examination and confirmed by ultrasonography in affected ducks. Dyscoria was occasionally observed in affected animals. Severe cataract, with Morgagnian globules, severe anterior fibre liquefaction and disorganisation were observed by photonic microscopy. No retinal or choroidal lesions were observed. No progression of ultrasonographic and microscopic lesions could be detected during the five weeks of examination. The female predisposition for the ocular lesions suggests a congenital sex-linked recessive cataract.

Mots clés: CHICKENS; LESIONS; EYE

Domaines: Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]

Sara Belluco, Sabine Chahory, Vanore Maria, Bérengère Wyrzykowski, Renaud Fleurance, et al.. Congenital cataract in 1-day-old French Mulard ducklings: Congenital cataracts in ducklings. Avian Pathology, 2009, 38 (01), pp.9-11. ⟨10.1080/03079450802593332⟩. ⟨hal-00540139⟩