Diagnosis and treatment of conjunctivitis in house finches associated withmycoplasmosis in Minnesota

An ongoing outbreak of Mycoplasma gallisepticum-associated conjunctivitis i n house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) that began in 1994 in the eastern Un ited States has been spreading westward. House finches presenting with the clinical signs of M. gallisepticum-associated conjunctivitis were first see n at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota (Minnesota, USA) in Ju ly of 1996, and 42 cases were admitted from 26 December 1996 to 10 August 1 997. A nested PCR was designed for sensitive and specific detection of the presence of the organism. Twelve birds were treated with oral enrofloxacin (15 mg/kg, twice daily for 21 days) and ophthalmic gentamicin (twice daily for 21 days). All treated birds showed resolution of clinical signs. Follow ing treatment, finches were held for up to 6 mo and tested for the presence of M. gallisepticum by culture and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Eight of twelve finches (67%) were positive for M. gallisepticum by nested -PCR and fc,ur (33%) were positive by culture. The results suggest that ora l enrofloxacin and opthalmic gentamicin are not an effective treatment for the eradication of M. gallisepticum in house finches. Further, the results show that nested PCR is an effective method for detection of M. galliseptic um in house finches and was more sensitive than culture.