title: Mycoplasma sturni from blue jays and northern mockingbirds with conjunctivitis in Florida.
abstract: Northern mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos) and blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata) in a Florida (USA) wildlife care facility developed clinical signs and gross lesions suggestive of the ongoing outbreak of Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) conjunctivitis in house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) and American goldfinches (Carduelis tristis). Mycoplasmal organisms were cultured from conjunctival/corneal swabs of birds with sinusitis, conjunctivitis, and/or epiphora. All of the isolates tested were identified as Mycoplasma sturni by indirect immunofluorescence. Mycoplasma sturni as well as MG should be considered in the differential diagnosis of songbirds with conjunctivitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Animal and Equine Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27606, USA.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Ley
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Geary
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Berkhoff
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: McLaren
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Levisohn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D001717:Birds; D003234:Conjunctivitis, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D005431:Florida / Q000453:epidemiology; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000662:veterinary; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*