Особливості діагностики та лікування хламідіозу екзотичних птахів

Abstract

The causative agent of ornithosis Chl. psittaci is one of the most dangerous pathogens due to the stability of its natural reservoirs and the large number of susceptible species of animals and human. Humans are almost 100 % susceptible to ornithosis. 90% of the avifauna of Ukraine or 150 species of birds, permanent residents and migratory birds have a high epidemic potential as vectors of Chl. psittaci. The potential danger of chlamydia infection for humans and animals is a significant level of chlamydia infection of synanthropic pigeons, in particular in Kyiv there are birds with asymptomatic disease. In pet stores, bird markets offer ornamental and exotic birds in the city, it made up to 35 – 65 % of birds, welfare for infectious diseases was not established. Conducting the initial reception of patients in the clinic, attention was paid to the appearance and behavior of the birds. Changes in behavior patterns, lethargy, apathy or increased excitability could be signs of stress or early signs of illness. Psittacosis can have too many clinical signs at the same time. Therefore, clinical tests do not give the right to a final diagnosis. However, they may be sufficient to suspect possible psittacosis in birds. Among all birds for which the diagnosis of psittacosis was confirmed by laboratory methods (ELISA), there were 55.6 % of medium-sized parrots and budgerigars, 33.3 % of pigeons and several cases of birds of other exotic species. At the initial admission of patients to the clinic, 28.7 % of the birds had signs characteristic of psittacosis. But only in 9.8% of birds the diagnosis was confirmed by laboratory tests. Thus, chlamydia was diagnosed in 3.2 % of all birds - patients of the clinic during the year. Depending on the species of birds and their age, they had different symptoms of psittacosis. However, most of the signs indicated damage to the respiratory organs, or organs of the digestive system, or conjunctivitis. For the treatment of birds diagnosed with psittacosis, complex protocols were used, which included antimicrobial drugs, symptomatic and topical agents. A complex of antibiotics from the macrolide and tetracyclines groups is recognized as the most effective for the treatment of exotic birds from psittacosis. Most of the therapeutic preparations were given to the birds by drinking with water, which is the most convenient for the cage keeping of small birds. The therapeutic efficiency of the developed protocol for treating exotic birds against psittacosis was 77.8 %, which can be characterized as a high rate for this disease.