title: Presumed mycobacteriosis in laboratory zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata).
abstract: Husbandry staff noticed a research-naïve, young-adult, female finch tossing its head back intermittently. A second finch exhibiting similar signs was reported a few days later. Postmortem necropsy and histopathology with hematoxylin and eosin and acid-fast staining on the first finch revealed the presence of acid-fast organisms in several organs. After presumptive diagnosis of mycobacteriosis, all remaining finches housed in the same room as the first underwent necropsy and histology. Three additional finches were positive for Mycobacterium-like acid-fast organisms. Incidental findings of megabacteriosis were noted histopathologically on 2 other finches.
authors.affiliation: Division of Laboratory Animal Resources, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA. asfaw001@mc.duke.edu
authors.forename: Yohannes G
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Asfaw
authors.forename: Francis J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004386:Duodenum / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D046369:Finches / Q000382:microbiology*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D009161:Mycobacterium; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004718:Saccharomycetales