Doğada Serbest Yaşayan Bir Uzun Bacaklı Şahinde (Buteo rufinus) Tuberküloz Olgusu

Abstract

A male Long-legged buzzard with a gunshot wound on his left wing was presented for treatment. However, the bird died shortly after, and then the routine necropsy was performed. At necropsy, numerous white-to-yellow nodular lesions sizing several mm to 1 cm in diameter were noted in liver, spleen, gizzard and lung. Microscopic examination of the nodules in lung and gizzard revealed classical formation of tubercles characterized by a caseous core surrounded by epitheloid cells, multinucleated giant cells, heterophils, macrophages, and outer fibrous capsule. Fibrous capsule formation was vague in tubercles located in liver and spleen. Acid fast bacteria were shown by Ziehl-Neelsen staining. Based on the observations a diagnosis of avian mycobacteriosis was made. This report indicates that avian tuberculosis might be an important disease in free living animals in Turkey as in other places, and more attention might be needed to monitor the disease.