This report describes an outbreak of avian mycobacteriosis in a flock of 100 two-yr-old pigeons. Over a 6-mo period, the sick pigeons showed cachexia followed by death. In Columbiformes classic tubercles rarely develop, but in these affected pigeons granulomatous nodular lesions of various sizes, containing numerous acid-fast bacilli, were found in the internal organs. The lesions were observed in the liver, spleen, intestine, bone marrow, ovary, and oviduct. Despite their breeding age, atrophy was also found in the ovary and oviduct. Microorganisms belonging to Mycobacterium avium complex were identified in the affected tissues by polymerase chain reaction.
In this study we described four cases of bilateral ectropion in pigeons that were investigated in Greece. Anemia, leukocytosis, and increased levels of enzymes lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine phosphokinase, and total serum proteins were found. Chlamydial elementary bodies were observed by modified Ziehl-Neelsen stain in direct smears of conjunctiva, liver, and spleen as well as in yolk sac samples after egg inoculation with eyelid material. Histologically, significant hyperplasia of the conjunctival epithelium was observed. Using immunohistochemical methods, chlamydial antigen was revealed in eyelid, liver, and spleen paraffin sections. This study suggests that Chlamydia spp. was the causative agent that induced ectropion.
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