MEGABACTERIUM INFECTIONS OF THE PROVENTRI CULUS IN PASSERINE AND PSITTACINE BIRDS - REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE AND PRACTICE EXPERIENCES IN BELGIUM

In the present article, a review of literature on Megabacterium infect ions in passerine and psittacine birds is given. It is our opinion, ho wever, that in literature megabacteriosis has been accepted as a disea se entity without a firm evidence of an etiologic role of this organis m. Data on the isolation of the bacterium, Megabacterium-associated le sions and treatment of infected birds are contradictory. Therefore, in this article our personal ideas on this matter which are based on res ults of necropsies performed at our institute, are presented and discu ssed.