ENCEPHALITOZOON-HELLEM IN BUDGERIGARS (MELOPSITTACUS-UNDULATUS)

Microsporidiosis with concurrent megabacteriosis in budgerigar (Melops ittacus undulatus) chicks contributed to significant economic loss in a commercial pet bird aviary in Mississippi. Three budgerigar chicks, 1-2 weeks old, from the aviary were necropsied. Microscopic lesions in the chicks consisted of heavy infection of enterocytes with microspor idia (2/3; autolysis precluded critical evaluation of the intestine of chick No. 2), multifocal hepatic necrosis and inflammation with intra lesional microsporidia (1/3), spherical clusters of microsporidia in t he hepatic sinusoids in the absence of inflammation (1/3), and gastric megabacteriosis (3/3). The ultrastructure of the microsporidian spore s was consistent with an Encephalitozoon species. The polymerase chain reaction and Southern blot analysis were used to identify the microsp oridian as Encephalitozoon hellem, an organism that has only been iden tified in humans. Encephalitozoon hellem causes keratoconjunctivitis a nd respiratory infections in humans with acquired immunodeficiency syn drome. This report presents the first confirmed case of microsporidios is in budgerigars. The finding of E. hellem in pet birds may be import ant in elucidating the epidemiology of human infections with this orga nism.