title: Investigations on the aetiology of pinching off syndrome in four white-tailed sea eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) from Germany.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the aetiology of the pinching off syndrome (POS), a generalized feather abnormality affecting free-living nestling of the white-tailed sea eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) in Europe. For the first time, extensive clinical, haematological, biochemical, virological, bacteriological, nutritional, histopathological, parasitological and electron microscopical examinations were performed on three females and one male suffering from POS. Early and increased cytokeratin formation at the base of regenerating feathers and their follicle was observed in affected birds. Ultrathin sections of the feather papillae revealed an extended stratum transitivum and a compact, thickened keratinized stratum corneum. The transitional cells in POS feathers contained vacuoles often associated with the nucleus. Lipofuscin accumulations in neurons, glial cells and islet cells of the pancreas were found in all examined birds. It was not clear whether there is an association between the occurrence of lipofuscin and POS. No evidence was found to suggest that infectious agents (parasites, bacteria, fungi or viruses), malnutrition or hormonal imbalances are involved in the aetiology of POS in white-tailed sea eagles. It remains unclear whether there is a genetic background of POS.
authors.affiliation: Small Animal Clinic, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany. Muellerkerstin@gmx.de
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Elvira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schettler
authors.forename: Helga
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gerlach
authors.forename: Leo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brunnberg
authors.forename: Hafez Mohamed
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Hafez
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hattermann
authors.forename: Reimar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Johne
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kollmann
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Krone
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lierz
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Linke
authors.forename: Dörte
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lueschow
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mankertz
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Prusas
authors.forename: Rüdiger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raue
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Soike
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Speck
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Frölich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D020307:Eagles / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D005241:Feathers / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D013577:Syndrome; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D013974:Thyroxine