Histopathological diagnosis of avian tuberculosis and aspergillosis in a Snow goose

Yhee, Ji-Young; Kim, Kyoo-Tae; Yu, Chi-Ho; Kim, Jong-Hyuk; Cho, Sung-Whan; Lyoo, Young-Soo; Kim, Tae-Jong; Sur, Jung-Hyang

Korean Journal of Veterinary Research 2007;47(4):443-447.

Ji-Young Yhee¹, Kyoo-Tae Kim², Chi-Ho Yu¹, Jong-Hyuk Kim¹, Sung-Whan Cho³, Young-Soo Lyoo¹, Tae-Jong Kim¹, Jung-Hyang Sur¹

¹College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University
²Wild Animal Hospital, Daejeon Zoo Land
³College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University

병리소견과 조직염색을 통한 흰기러기의 조류결핵과 Aspergillosis의 진단

이지영¹, 김규태², 유치호¹, 김종혁¹, 조성환³, 류영수¹, 김태종¹, 서정향¹

¹건국대학교 수의과대학
²대전동물원 동물병원
³충남대학교 수의과대학

Abstract

A 7-year-old, female snow goose (Anser caerulescens hyperboreus) with history of decreased activity for 2 month died in Daejeon Zoo Land in September 2006. At necropsy, granulomatous pneumonia and hepatomegaly with multiple cysts were observed. Small masses were found in the spleen. Microscopically, fibrinous pneumonia distributed in most of the lung lobe with pulmonary edema and congestion. Especially, granulomatous inflammation with numerous multinucleated giant cells was observed around the dilated bronchi. To confirm the diagnosis, acid-fast (Ziehl-Neelsen method) and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining was performed. Acid-fast staining showed red bacterial colony indicating tuberculosis. PAS staining was also positive enough to diagnose aspergillus spp. co-infection that was an opportunistic fungi occurring in immuno-compromised animals. Based on the above results, we confirmed that the case submitted was diagnosed as avian tuberculosis.

Key Words: acid-fast stain, aspergillosis, avian tuberculosis, PAS stain, snow goose