Mycobacterium infection in a captive-reared capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus)

One captive male capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) was found dead on December 1993 at the breeding center of capercaillie in Catalonia, Spain. The bird was emaciated and, at necropsy, had numerous nodules of various sizes subcu taneously in the cervical region, pleura, lungs, liver, spleen, and mesente ry. Microscopic examination revealed granulomatous lesions with central cas eous necrosis, epithelioid cells, giant cells, and few lymphocytes in all a ffected organs. Numerous acid-fast bacilli were demonstrated in the tubercl es with Ziehl-Nielsen stain.