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Monitored therapy of sporadic mycobacteriosis caused by Mycobacterium genavense in Atlantic canaries (Serinus canaria) and Bengalese finch (Lonchura striata)


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Fig. 1

Comparison of results of SG qPCR and TaqMan qPCR tests to detect M. genavense
Comparison of results of SG qPCR and TaqMan qPCR tests to detect M. genavense

Fig. 2

Positive SG qPCR results during the second treatment of canary 3
Positive SG qPCR results during the second treatment of canary 3

Fig. 3

Phylogenetic tree based on the 16S rRNA gene, including Mycobacterium strains derived from treated canaries (cases: 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6) and other avian strains selected from the GenBank NCBI database. The tree was constructed by a neighbour-joining algorithm. The bar indicates 0.001 bp sequence divergence
Phylogenetic tree based on the 16S rRNA gene, including Mycobacterium strains derived from treated canaries (cases: 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6) and other avian strains selected from the GenBank NCBI database. The tree was constructed by a neighbour-joining algorithm. The bar indicates 0.001 bp sequence divergence

Description of birds before treatment, clinical signs (if any) and microscopic findings

Case Species/breed/sex/age in years (y) Clinical signs AFB in faeces Cryptosporidium galli in faeces
1 Canary/lizard/4 y male Chronic dyspnoea +++
2 Canary/yellow/2 y male No signs of disease +++
3 Canary/ Raza Espanola/male 3 y Chronic dyspnoea +/− ++
4 Canary/ Raza Espanola/male 4 y No rectrices (growth of single deformed ones, which subsequently fell out) −/+
5 Raza Espanola/Canary/ male 2 y No signs of disease −/+ ++
6 Bengalese finch/ red-brown/male 2 y No signs of disease +++

Results of clinical, post-mortem and histopathological examinations, and PCR tests of organ tissues for M. genavense

Case Clinical observations during treatment Observations after treatment Necropsy findings Histopathology Results of organ qPCR for M. genavense
1 After three weeks of Thirteen months Moderate liver Lymphoplasmacytic periportal Negative
treatment, cessation of after treatment enlargement and hepatitis with proliferating bile
crepitant rale at rest, completion, placed yellowing, grey foci up ductules, cholestasis; chronic
occurrence of vocalisations; in a cage with to 1 mm on the liver enteritis;
after two months, cessation a female, which laid surface, focal myocarditis and fibrosis;
of signs of stress-induced normal eggs. cholecystolithiasis, membranoproliferative
dyspnoea. Fifteen months after renal oedema, right
During treatment, two treatment ventricle dilation, glomerulopathy, bile droplets in
periods of watery diarrhoea: completion, inactive testes. tubular epithelial cells;
at the beginning dwelling on the splenic lymphoid depletion;
of treatment and one month bottom of the cage, neuronal damage and gliosis.
after treatment initiation. hypothermia,
Bird showing susceptibility polyuria, ZN-negative
to stress. polydypsia,
anorexia.

2 One month before treatment One month after Moderately good Hepatic lipidosis; chronic enteritis; Negative
completion, neurological treatment nutrition status, loss of fat droplets in renal epithelial cells;
signs occurred. The signs completion, after 10 forebrain and splenic lymphoid depletion;
receded following days of supportive hydrocephalus, liver neuronal damage, gliosis, focal
supportive treatment. treatment, yellowing and slight vacuolation of neuropil and
neurological signs enlargement, slight oedema.
returned. The kidney and spleen
canary was oedema, inactive testes. ZN-negative
euthanised.

3 Complete cessation of Prolonged periods Moderately good Multifocal to coalescing hepatic Positive
dyspnoea after 26 days of of moulting. nutrition status, granulomas;
treatment. Periodic post- significant hepato- and intestinal crypt loss, fibrosis of the
exercise dyspnoea. splenomegaly, paleness lamina propria, and focal
Fourteen months of the liver and spleen, granulomatous enteritis;
after treatment, inactive testes.
moderately mesangioproliferative
numerous AFB in glomerulopathy, necrotic tubular
faeces, significant epithelial cells, lymphoid follicle
liver enlargement. formation in the interstitial tissue;
splenic coalescing granulomas;
a few mononuclear cells aggregated
closely to the leptomeninges,
gliosis and neuronal damage.
ZN-positive (liver, pancreas,
intestine, kidney, spleen and lungs).

4 Good health throughout the Prolonged periods Not tested Not tested Not tested
treatment period. of moulting.

5 Found dead after two weeks N/a N/a Fungal pneumonia; Positive
of treatment. neuronal damage and gliosis.
A mistake in the procedure of
fixing the remaining tissues
prevented their histopathological
evaluation.
ZN-positive (liver, spleen and lungs
in cytology).

6 Good condition throughout - Good nutrition status Hepatic lipidosis, proliferation of Positive
the treatment period with and musculature, bile ducts, cholestasis fibrinoid
beak hyperplasia requiring moderate spleen necrosis of vascular walls; chronic
correction. Four months enlargement, active enteritis;
after treatment initiation, the testes. splenic lymphoid depletion,
bird died owing to vascular fibrinoid necrosis;
haemorrhage after blood membranoproliferative
sampling from the external glomerulopathy,
jugular vein. bile droplets in tubular epithelial
cells;
neuronal damage and gliosis.
ZN negative

Comparison of pre-treatment and post-treatment blood counts

Leukocyte parameters
BT – before WBC Heterophils Lymphocytes Monocytes Eosinophils Basophils
treatment, AT – after treatment (g/L) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)
Canary values reference (13) 4–9 50–80 20–45 0–1 0–2 0–1
Case 1 BT 15.2 26 57 17 0 0
AT 10.8 26 64 12 0 0
Case 2 BT 23 32 51 17 0 0
AT 16.32 16 75 16 0 0
BT 10.28 18 71 11 0 0
Case 3 AT 7.4 5 88 11 0 0
Case 4 BT 13.75 6 87 7 0 0
AT 8.32 8 89 5 0 0
Case 5 BT 7 25 60 13 2 0

Finch values reference (13) 3–8 20–65 20–65 0–1 0–1 0–5
BT 10.28 18 71 11 0 0
Case 6 AT 7.14 56 37 5 0 2
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Language:
English
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Journal Subjects:
Life Sciences, Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Virology, other, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine