Avian Tuberculosis; A Severe Poultry Disease.

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Over here in Nigeria, we do not have so many people who keep poultry products as pets, but we keep them basically for farm products, but today I want to talk about Avian Tuberculosis, which has remained a serious problem in poultry production, which chickens have to scavenge for survival in an unhealthy environment, there is a lot with this particular disease and that is what I am about to share with you.

You know, speaking about birds, we are not only talking about the birds of the air, and not all types of birds can actually be domesticated. Hejlicek and Trem broadly classified the species of birds into four groups, the classification is done based on their susceptibility to avian tuberculosis; we have the domestic fowl, pheasants, partridges, and sparrows as the highly susceptible ones, then guinea fowl and domesticated turkeys as the less susceptible ones while domestic goose and duck falls under the moderately resistant group.

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In the case of Avian species, stress is a factor that enhances the development of the disease, and it is particularly known with birds that are living in captivity. Avian Tuberculosis belongs to a list B disease of the World Health Organization for Animal Health, it is caused by Mycobacterium avium or Mycobacterium genavense, asides from the fact that it particularly affects captive and poultry birds, it has also remained a public health threat, especially with individuals who are immunocompromised like HIV patients.

Mycobacterium aviumis the major cause of the disease in humans, it is highly resistant to disinfectant chemicals and environmental extremes. It has the ability to survive in the soil for up to 4 years, in a 3% hydrochloric acid for 2 hours, and survive for up to 30 minutes in 2% sodium hydroxide. Consistency within flocks and human exposure is linked with keeping older stocks that do not follow proper cleanliness and hygiene guidelines. Recently, however, the case of avian tuberculosis in humans as shown in bovine tuberculosis has started being eradicated in developed countries.

The symptoms of the disease could be different in various avian species. The symptoms are; Skin ulcers, depression, weakness of the body, weight loss, increased urge for thirst, lameness, sudden death, reduction in egg production, and atrophy of the breast muscle. These two causes of mycobacteria (M.avium and M.genavense), and are transmitted through;

The inhalation of the organism.
Rodents that could act through mechanical carriers of the disease.
Equipment and/or litter that is contaminated through the feces of an infected bird.
Factors of stress that could enhance the development of the disease.
Ingestion of contaminated food or water.
When the bird is bitten by the tick or mite that carries the organism.

M. avium, has the ability to cause and infect the disease in domesticated mammals, but lesions are often localized and a less severe one. It creates tissue multiplication for some time and induces sensitivity to tuberculin.

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In order to diagnose the presence of Avian Tuberculosis, the veterinarian would want to go over the medical history of the bird, when you take your bird to the vet, remember to explain all you noticed since when it started, the vet may also want to know where the bird is housed, and if the pet shares his cage or her cage with the bird. The vet will perform a physical examination, which includes listening to the patient's lungs and heart, the bird's breast muscle, and abdomen may also be palpated.

The vet could also recommend a few other diagnostic tests, patients who have avian tuberculosis often have elevated blood cells with a low red blood count. Whole-body x-rays and ultrasounds could help with the identification of tubercles, enlargement of organs, and granulomas, the veterinarian may also carry out a culture with feces samples.

Laparoscopy examination could also be suggested, the surgical procedure could help make a small incision on the affected patient, and then it would insert a fiber-optic instrument through the abdominal cavity of the bird in order to help visualize the organs. The veterinarian through this is able to visualize the mycobacterial lesions, enlarged organs, or enlarged masses.

Farmers already have a pest control program set to limit drastically the risk of the disease, being carried on the farm through rodents. Highly strict records are kept by the farmer of the chicken's health, growth, and behavior, in order for the emerging disease to get identified easily and acted upon. The prevention of any disease at all is an early strategy for farm and poultry producers, it is highly significant to the birds and as well to save the farmers from spending excessively on prevention.

Vaccination helps significantly to prevent diseases, it does this through the stimulation of the bird's immune system in such a manner that the immune response is enhanced when the bird gets exposed to a pathogen.
Vaccines are in two forms; it either contains a small live dose of a weak pathogen form or a larger dose of a killed preparation of the disease-causing organism. The weak form of pathogens that are used in live vaccines could either occur naturally or could be developed in a laboratory, when it comes to vaccination, live vaccines have the ability to provide long-term immunity compared to killed vaccines, and this is because the live organism has the ability to colonize and survive in the host for some time, then it could stimulate a much longer and more efficient immune response. Improved technologies are now creating a more improved means of vaccination.

When birds are diagnosed with avian tuberculosis, then experts suggest they should be placed in quarantine for about 12 months, hygiene and good sanitation -has to be appropriately maintained. The caregiver of the affected burd should as well ensure to put on a mask and gloves during the process of cleaning the cage. Avian tuberculosis could be treated with different antimicrobial drugs administered orally, in addition to the medication, Goldenseal which is a perennial herb is also a good recommendation, as it has antibiotic properties that could be highly beneficial to patients.

The disease is a severe one as it stands resistant to several medications, in most cases it will take months or years, it is essential to strictly follow the instructions given by the veterinary doctor. Prevention is always a more safe option than looking around for treatment.