Diagnostic testing of different stages of avian tuberculosis in naturally infected hens (Gallus domesticus) by the tuberculin skin and rapid agglutination tests, faecal and egg examinations

Abstract

Avian tuberculosis (ATBC) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in birds in zoos and breeding establishments. The primary sources of Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium (MAA) of serotypes 1, 2 and 3 are infected animals (esp. birds), who shed MAA in different ways and thus contaminate the environment. The first aim of this work was to compare the efficiency of the diagnostic methods that are routinely used for the diagnosis of ATBC (skin test, serology and culture of faeces and eggs) in naturally infected hens with different levels of infection. The second aim was to determine the excretion rate of MAA in faeces and eggs. The tuberculin skin test gave a positive result in nine (42.9%) infected hens of which four (57.1%) and one (14.3%) were heavily and slightly infected hens, respectively. A positive serological response to MAA-b antigen (water bird isolate of serotype 1) was observed in five (23.8%) and to MAA-p antigen (pig isolate serotype 2) in seven (33.3%) hens. No correlation between serological and skin-test data was found. The results show that both techniques, serological and skin-test data are inadequate for the diagnosis of ATBC. In consecutively euthanized hens, with heavy infection and tuberculous lesions, serological positivity was significant (P < 0.05) in comparison with slightly infected hens lacking tuberculous lesions. Faecal culture detected MAA in 50 (29.8%) of 168 samples collected for eight days before euthanasia. MAA excretion in faeces was intermittent, but significantly (P < 0.01) higher in heavily infected hens. No mycobacteria were detected in any of the 43 examined eggs, which implies that the shedding of MAA and/or transmission of ATBC through eggs may not be frequent events.

High incidence of Mycobacterium avium subspecies hominissuis infection in a zoo population of bongo antelopes (Tragelaphus eurycerus)

“…9 In the current study, Mah was not isolated from any fecal samples from bongo antelopes, and the possibility of a fecal-oral route of infection in these animals seems unlikely. Although the negative results of fecal cultivation may be due to the low numbers of Mah in the feces of the bongo antelopes or intermittent Mah shedding in feces, 15 the isolation of Mah from the feces of the okapi antelopes demonstrates the robustness of the culture method used in the present study.…”

“…To assess the source of infection and possible risks to other antelopes and other animals from the nearby enclosures (especially okapis), a total of 117 environmental samples (soil, peat, water, bark mulch, feed, straw with urine, dust, and house flies [ Musca domestica ]) and 22 fecal samples from bongos and okapis were examined using culture 15 and subsequent PCR identification of isolates. 12 Mycobacterium avium subsp.…”

Isolation of Mycobacterium avium and other nontuberculous mycobacteria in chickens and captive birds in peninsular Malaysia

“…Another interestingly finding reported in this study is the detection of MAA from the fecal sample of White Pelican ( Pelecanus onocrotalus) sample using culture and Black Hornbill ( Anthracoceros malayanus) using direct PCR. Although MAA has been reported in domestic hen [ 42 ], macaw [ 16 , 43 ], cockatoo [ 16 , 43 ], and commercial ducks [ 1 ] from different region of the world, to the best of our knowledge only one study [ 43 ] reported MAA from White Pelican but there is no published data from Black Hornbill.…”

“ Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis ” in Neck Lymph Nodes of Children and their Environment Examined by Culture and Triplex Quantitative Real-Time PCR

“…hominissuis is pathogenic mainly to humans (31,35), while infections with M. avium subsp. avium are more typical for birds (11,35,(40)(41)(42), perhaps indicating why there was an increased susceptibility to M. avium subsp. hominissuis in these patients.…”