Mycoplasmosis in Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus)-an Emerging Disease?

摘要

Joint and tendon swelling in birds can be associated with non-infectious (eg, degenerative joint disease, articular gout, trauma, etc) and infectious (eg, Staphylococcus aureus, E coli, and Mycoplasma synoviae, especially in poultry) etiologies.1-5 This presentation describes the clinical evaluation of 3 black vultures (Coragyps atratus) that were unable to fly and presented for rehabilitation with multiple swollen joints and/or tendons sheaths. All birds had bilateral swelling of their elbow jointsand 2 birds also had bilateral swollen hock joints and distal tendon sheaths of the gastrocnemius tendons. Supportive care, including long-term antibiotics, was unsuccessful in 2 vultures, and not attempted in the third bird. All birds were presented toNCSU for euthanasia and diagnostic evaluation. All affected joints had thick viscous fluid present, and joint fluid cytology revealed severe heterophilic inflammation. Histopathologic examination revealed a diffuse chronic lymphoplasmacytic arthritis andtenosynovitis ranging in severity from mild to severe. Mycoplasma corogypsi was documented using a combination of culture and PCR, and no other bacteria were isolated. This organism was reported previously in a black vulture with polyarthritis6 and in another black vulture with a foot pad abscess.7