title: Chemical deicer poisoning was suspected as a cause of the 2005-2006 wintertime mortality of small wild birds in Hokkaido.
abstract: Many small wild birds died in the 2005-2006 wintertime in Hokkaido. Thirteen birds were pathologically examined and it was attempted to detect West Nile and influenza viruses from their organs. Consecutive pathological changes were fresh hemorrhage and acute circulatory failure. Viral detections were negative. Selective occurrence in wintertime, literature review and the results of pathological and virological examinations suggested chemical deicer poisoning as the cause of wild bird death. Chicks treated orally with deicer showed acute death and their pathological changes were similar to those of the wild birds. Because the chicks showed significant elevation of plasma Na concentration, plasma electrolyte analysis of the affected wild birds might be crucial to confirm our tentative diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Comparative Pathology, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomohisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Ginpei
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tanoue
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamasaki
authors.forename: Ikuo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Takashima
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakoda
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ochiai
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Umemura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D015636:Magnesium Chloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D020308:Songbirds
chemical_list: D015636:Magnesium Chloride; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D012964:Sodium