An epithelial thymoma in a budgerigar(Melopsittacus undulatus)

Abstract

An epithelial thymoma derived from a budgerigar is described. It was predominantly epithelial and possibly malignant.

Thymoma in a Java sparrow(Padda oryzivora)

“…The present thymoma was found in the subcutis of the neck where normally thymus was present and did not extend into the thoracic cavity, unlike a reported budgerigar thymoma (Zubaidy, 1980). This might be why the bird showed no respiratory signs.…”

“…Apart from the above-mentioned sign, many cases of thymoma in man (Ashley, 1990), and a few cases in domestic animals (Carpenter & Holzworth, 1982;Moulton & Harvey, 1990), accompanied paraneoplastic complications such as myasthenia gravis, polymyositis, myocarditis and dermatitis. A budgerigar (Zubaidy, 1980) and the present Java sparrow did not show such clinical signs.…”

“…There have been reports in a domestic duck (Worms & Klotz, 1936) and a budgerigar (Zubaidy, 1980). We encountered a thymoma in a pet Java sparrow, and here describe its pathological features.…”

“…This Java sparrow thymoma had many microscopic figures in common with those in man (Ashley, 1990), other mammals (Moulton & Harvey, 1990;Valli, 1993), and a budgerigar (Zubaidy, 1980), except for lacking apparent HassalFs corpuscle formation. The germinal centre formation and plasma cell infiltration which had a high association with myasthenia gravis in domestic animals (Valli, 1993) was not observed in Zubaidy's (Zubaidy, 1980) and our birds.…”

“…Most domestic animals (Carpenter & Holzworth, 1982), and a budgerigar (Zubaidy, 1980), with thymoma had severe respiratory symptoms caused by occupation of a large area within the thoracic cavity. The present thymoma was found in the subcutis of the neck where normally thymus was present and did not extend into the thoracic cavity, unlike a reported budgerigar thymoma (Zubaidy, 1980).…”