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Help! I found all my kukus dead

Mrs Muthee, a veteran poulty farmer occasionally calls my office to give updates on developments in her farm. This particular morning I was away from my office when she called and left several messages. From the numerous calls she had made, I immediately knew something was amiss.

She had lost 42 birds that fateful morning and more birds were exhibiting clinical signs ranging from listlessness (lethargic) and sitting in a hunched position. The high mortality and morbidity pointed to Gumboro disease. I remembered my university pathology lecturer- Prof Mbuthia tutoring about the lethality of the disease. Gumboro Disease is also known as Infectious Bursal disease. I rarely make a definitive diagnosis over the phone so I decided to make a trip to her farm in Gatundu. By the time I arrived, two hours later, four more birds had succumbed.

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