title: Experimental inoculation of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) with Mycobacterium bovis.
abstract: The purpose of this series of pilot studies was to determine whether the passerine species studied are susceptible to infection with Mycobacterium bovis. Separate experiments were conducted on wild-caught starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos). In each experiment, four birds were challenged intraperitoneally and four were challenged orally with microorganisms. Challenge dose was 1 x 10(5) colony-forming units of M. bovis cultured from a white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) case in Michigan. Birds were euthanatized at 1 and 2 mo postinoculation. Histologic lesions suggestive of mycobacteriosis, without the presence of acid-fast bacilli, were noted in all experimental groups. Mycobacterial cultures performed on pooled tissue samples were positive for M. bovis in only some of the intraperitoneal inoculates of each species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, Lansing 48909, USA.
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Church
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Kaneene
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D001835:Body Weight; D003670:Deer; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal / Q000662:veterinary; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D009929:Organ Size; D010865:Pilot Projects; D020308:Songbirds / Q000382:microbiology*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*