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Case Reports
. 2024 Dec;48(6):4149-4152.
doi: 10.1007/s11259-024-10547-1. Epub 2024 Sep 20.

Case report: granulomatous hepatitis due to Mycobacterium avium in an Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross (Thalassarche chlororhynchos) from Southern Brazilian coast

Anna Laura de Oliveira Cunha  1 , Lucas de Souza Quevedo  1 , Gustavo Willian Pandolfo  1 , Cassia Yumi Ikuta  2 , Rosiléia Marinho de Quadros  3 , Pedro Volkmer de Castilho  3 , Gabriela Cristini de Souza  4 , Nicole Porto Nigro  4 , José Soares Ferreira Neto  2 , Renata Assis Casagrande  5
Affiliations
Case Reports

Case report: granulomatous hepatitis due to Mycobacterium avium in an Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross (Thalassarche chlororhynchos) from Southern Brazilian coast

Anna Laura de Oliveira Cunha et al. Vet Res Commun. 2024 Dec.

Abstract

This study reports a granulomatous hepatitis caused by Mycobacterium avium in an Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross (Thalassarche chlororhynchos) found dead on Brazil southern coast. At necropsy, the albatross was cachectic and the liver was severely enlarged with multifocal to coalescing white nodules. Histopathological evaluation revealed multifocal to coalescing granulomas with caseous necrosis, surrounded by an infiltrate of macrophages and multinucleated giant cells, and a thin capsule of fibrous connective tissue. The Fite-Faraco staining technique revealed multiple acid-fast bacilli (AFB) stained in magenta, predominantly in the areas of necrosis. Bacterial culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis confirmed the presence of Mycobacterium avium in liver samples. This case underscores the importance of wildlife surveillance in coastal regions. Pelagic birds like the Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross can harbor pathogenic agents that represent a threat to wildlife and domestic animals. Enhanced monitoring and research are essential to understand the epidemiology and potential risks associated with such infections in coastal ecosystems.

Keywords: Avian pathology; Granulomatous hepatitis; Pelagic bird; Seabirds; Tuberculosis.

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