Treatment of racing pigeons naturally infected with Mycoplasma columborale and M columbinum.

A group of six racing pigeons naturally infected with Mycoplasma columborale and M columbinum were housed in isolation and treated with tiamulin hydrogen fumarate in the drinking water for 35 days. Swabs from the oropharynx, the oesophagus and the trachea were negative for mycoplasmas at the end of this period. Mycoplasmas were recovered from two of the birds after a further nine days, and 13 weeks after the cessation of treatment mycoplasmas were recovered from all six birds.