Mycoplasma respiratory Infections can be challenging to diagnose in pigeons

Mycoplasma respiratory Infections can be challenging to diagnose in pigeons.

A note to start:Only advanced diagnostic laboratories are equipped to conduct a Mycoplasma test. This test is included in our General Loft Test.

A bird with a severe upper respiratory infection often exhibits significant symptoms in its throat and mouth. The choana, the slit-like opening in the roof of the mouth, may appear swollen shut at the front, with bubbly mucus draining from the sinuses into the mouth. The pharyngeal tonsil, a triangular structure on the bird's palate, is typically swollen and red. Inflammatory damage can destroy the spicules, or fringed edges of the choana, leaving them no longer visible. The bluish coloration of the mouth lining suggests reduced blood oxygen levels.

Diagnosing Mycoplasma infections in live birds is notoriously difficult. The organism is fragile, challenging to culture, and requires specialized testing. Only certain laboratories perform Mycoplasma cultures, though PCR testing is increasingly used for diagnosis. Visual diagnosis often relies on observable signs such as white mucus lining the upper trachea or microscopic findings of increased lymphoid aggregates scattered throughout . European veterinarians recommend testing lofts for Mycoplasma infections before breeding and racing to prevent passive infections and poor race performance.

Severe respiratory infections can also cause mucus to accumulate at the beak margins, where it dries and turns yellow. It is important to assess mucus levels at appropriate times, as normal mucus from the upper crop can move into the throat after feeding or exercise, potentially leading to diagnostic errors.

In cases of respiratory infections, mucus-producing glands in the upper trachea become more active, often resulting in visible mucus near the beak or within the trachea during post-mortem examinations. PCR tests performed by Racing Pigeon Laboratory Testing can soon provide definitive diagnoses by identifying Mycoplasma DNA in throat mucus samples.

By Donal Barry