Experimental infection of budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) with five Mycobacterium species

Aleksandra Ledwon (1)

1 Warsaw Agricultural University

The aim of the present study was to determine the susceptibility of budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) to infections with different Mycobacterium species. For inoculations the following M. species were used: M. avium subsp. avium, M. bovis subsp. bovis, M. tuberculosis subsp. tuberculosis, M. intracellulare and M. fortuitum subsp. fortuitum. The bacterial suspension was administrated intramuscularly and all the birds were monitored for 70 days starting from the day of inoculation. During the experiment clinical examination, x- rays, plate agglutination tests, tuberculin tests, feces smear preparations and culture of mycobacteria were performed. The study showed, that M. bovis subsp. bovis was the most pathogenic M. species for budgerigars. After inoculation the bacilli induced tuberculosis-typical, clinical signs and necropsy findings. In two out of six birds infected with M. bovis subsp. bovis radiological changes were also visible. Birds inoculated with other M. species did not show any typical symptoms of infection and only the results of histopathological and bacteriological examinations indicated the presence of infection.

Mots clés: Life Sciences

Aleksandra Ledwon. Experimental infection of budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) with five Mycobacterium species. Avian Pathology, 2008, 37 (01), pp.59-64. ⟨10.1080/03079450701802255⟩. ⟨hal-00540108⟩