Assessment of the influence of environmental-trophic-biological parameters on the spread and pathomorphological manifestation of mycobacteriosis in zoo birds: a retrospective analysis

Aim. To conduct an analysis of the influence of environmental parameters, trophic specialization and biological features in zoo pheasants (Phasianus colchicus L.), peacocks (Pavo Cristatus L.) and mallards (Anas platyrhynchos L.) on the spread and pathomorphological picture of mycobacteria.Methods. The methods of clinical and ethological observation, clinical and genealogical, ecological and physiological, epizootic analysis, autopsy, bacterioscopy, and polymerase chain reaction are used. Results. The highest level of mortality from mycobacteriosis was observed in pheasants. This was facilitated by their omnivorousness and alimentary infection with mycobacteria with damage to the intestinal wall, liver and spleen. Peacocks had an aerogenous infection with changes in the lungs, and mallards had a contact infection with skin lesions of injured wings. Conclusions. In pheasants, high mortality from mycobacteriosis is due to their trophic specialization and alimentary infection with mycobacteria. In peacocks, mortality from mycobacteria was lower with respiratory lesions, and in mallards, mycobacteria were detected on previously affected wing skin.