ETIOLOGIC AGENTS OF MYCOBACTERIOSES IN PET BIRDS BETWEEN 1986 AND 1995

Between May 1986 and June 1995, mycobacteriosis was diagnosed by histo logy and microscopy in 204 (3.8%) of 5,345 necropsied pet birds. The p redominant macroscopic changes were enlargement of the liver and splee n and thickening of intestinal walls. Attempts to cultivate mycobacter ia were made in 110 cases. Acid-fast bacilli grew in 66 specimens (60% ) only. In 18 cases we failed to obtain subcultures. Therefore, specie s identification could be performed for only 48 isolates. Identificati on was carried out by conventional biochemical tests as well as by PCR -mediated sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The majority of the isolate s were Mycobacterium genavense (34 isolates), followed by M. avium com plex(8), M. fortuitum (2), M. tuberculosis (2), M. gordonae (1), and M . nonchromogenicum (1). The significance of M. genavense as a zoonotic agent remains to be determined.