Case ReportSevere Leukemoid Response Associated With Mycobacterium genavense Infection in a Pet Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus)
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Case Report
A 2-year-old male budgerigar (46 g) was presented to Burwood Bird and Animal Hospital (Melbourne, Australia) for evaluation of lethargy, a reduced appetite, and dyspnea of 2 weeks’ duration. A fecal wet smear and Gram’s stain examination were performed showing scant bacteria, of which 90% were Gram-positive and 10% were Gram-negative cocci and rods. Candida albicans, Macrorhabdus ornithogaster, and gastrointestinal parasites were not detected. Blood (0.3 mL) was collected via right jugular
Discussion
Mycobacterial infections have been described in companion,1, 6, 7 zoo,8 and free-ranging9 birds, but the incidence is unclear.11, 12 In the USA, reviews of necropsy specimens have shown a prevalence of mycobacteriosis in avian species ranging between 0.5% and 14%,8, 10, 12 but the incidence of this avian disease within Australia has not been determined. It is estimated that there are around 4.8 million pet birds in Australia, with 13% of the Australian population owning at least one pet bird,13
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Dr Janet Fyfe of the Mycobacterium Reference Laboratory, Melbourne for her assistance with the MGE sequencing; IDEXX Laboratories, Melbourne for initial examination of the hematology and serum biochemistry, and Dr John Jardine of Vetpath, Perth, for his interpretation of the histopathology associated with this case.
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