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Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis in pigeons is an old sporadic, widespread, contagious bacterial disease.

Pathogen/Cause:
Mycobacterium avium. In the Mycobacterium avium complex 20 serotypes are listed. Birds vary in their resistance to the different serotypes. Serotypes 1 and 2 predominate. In pigeons the infection may be ingested in dropping-contaminated soil, food, grit, or water.

Symptoms of the disease:
Insidious course of the disease over a period of weeks. Increasingly impaired general condition of some pigeons to the point of complete emaciation.
Greyish-yellow caseous nodes, particularly in liver and spleen.
Similar conditions with the organ form of trichomoniasis or salmonellosis, but there are almost always additional signs of these diseases which enable a definite diagnosis to be established.

Recognition of the disease:
In the living bird: tuberculin test
Cadaver: bacterial examination of the organs

Treatment:
Not advisable, since a cure is not possible.

Prevention:
If disease suspected, tuberculin-test with all birds. Kill affected pigeons.