Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Hen with multiple hard feather cysts on skin areas
By Mutinelli, Franco et al.·Published in Avian diseases·2008·Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Multiple feather follicle cysts in a Moroseta hen (Gallus gallus).
Plain-English summary
An 8-month-old Moroseta hen was brought to the vet because she had multiple hard nodules on her skin, ranging from 2 mm to 30 mm in size, located on her head, wings, back, and abdomen. The vet found that these nodules were filled with a yellowish material and were caused by dilated feather follicles. Although there were some secondary bacteria and a lice infestation present, they were not the cause of her condition. The hen was diagnosed with multiple feather follicle cysts, which are not uncommon in her breed. Treatment details were not specified, but addressing the lice and mange would likely be part of her care.
People also search for: hen skin lumps · Moroseta hen cysts · chicken lice treatment · feather follicle cysts in birds · chicken skin problems
Abstract
An 8-month-old white feathered, black skinned Moroseta hen was presented for examination because of numerous 2 mm- to 30 mm-diameter irregularly shaped, hard nodules in the skin of the head, wings, back, and abdomen. The nodules were confined to the skin and did not involve subcutaneous tissues. Nodules consisted of dilated feather follicles packed with a caseous tan-to-pale-yellow material admixed with feather remnants. Histologically, affected feather follicles were markedly dilated and filled with laminated keratin debris. Necrosis of the epidermis and perifollicular lymphocyte infiltration was also present. Bacteriologic investigation of internal organs was negative, while secondary bacteria, Proteus spp. and Bacillus spp., were isolated from skin nodules. A concomitant lice infestation of Menopon spp., as well as leg mange caused by Cnemidocoptes spp., were also present. These bacterial isolates and parasites were not related to the disease condition. The condition observed was differentiated from benign feather follicle tumors, and a diagnosis of multiple feather follicle cysts was made. In addition, a breed predisposition was hypothesized.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18646468/