Outbreaks of Mycoplasmosis and Histomoniasis in a southern Brazilian flock of ornamental birds

ABSTRACT

Background: Infectious diseases have expanded their host and geographic ranges, increasing impacts on both human and animal health. Mycoplasma gallisepticum usually causes avian chronic respiratory conditions and Histomonas meleagridis infects the cecum and the liver of poultry. Although these diseases have been reported in several bird species, information associated with their prevalence and impact in local flocks of ornamental birds is scarce. This communication describes severe outbreaks of mycoplasmosis and histomoniasis that affected a southern Brazilian commercial flock of ornamental birds. Case The outbreaks occurred in an ornamental bird flock that contained 2,340 birds from 39 different species, distributed mostly in the orders Galliformes, Anseriformes, and Psittaciformes. Mycoplasma gallisepticum affected 12 chukar partridges, 12 Indian peacocks, 19 ornamental chickens and 46 individuals of 4 species of pheasant. The disease cases were distributed between April and July 2015. A total of 36 birds died due to the disease complications and most surviving birds suffered from severe ocular sequels, which determined their subsequent culling, despite attempts of different treatment protocols. The main signs included coughing, sneezing, infraorbital swelling, wasting, and death which were mostly associated with caseous sinusitis. Affected birds had positive samples when stained with anti-Mycoplasma gallisepticum immunohistochemistry and tested by Mycoplasma gallisepticum-Polymerase Chain Reaction. The application of 2 doses of a Mycoplasma gallisepticum vaccine in early 2016 to all the Galliformes in the flock reduced the annual prevalence to 4 clinical cases. Histomoniasis affected and killed 19 out of 27 chukar partridges that were being kept with ring-necked pheasants in the same enclosure. The disease occurred between September […](AU)