Outbreak of avian mycobacteriosis in a flock of two-year-old domestic pigeons (Columba livia f. domestica)

This report describes an outbreak of avian mycobacteriosis in a flock of 100 two-yr-old pigeons. Over a 6-mo period, the sick pigeons showed cachexia followed by death. In Columbiformes classic tubercles rarely develop, but in these affected pigeons granulomatous nodular lesions of various sizes, containing numerous acid-fast bacilli, were found in the internal organs. The lesions were observed in the liver, spleen, intestine, bone marrow, ovary, and oviduct. Despite their breeding age, atrophy was also found in the ovary and oviduct. Microorganisms belonging to Mycobacterium avium complex were identified in the affected tissues by polymerase chain reaction.