Reperti autoptici e di laboratorio eseguiti su avifauna proveniente dal C.R.A.S. di Vanzago nell'anno 2010

In 2010, the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (CRAS) of Vanzago admitted 1942 birds of which 48% was not recovered and died spontaneously or by euthanasia. This research reports only the results of the diagnostics tests (histology, bacteriology, virology and parasitology) performed on individuals died within 24 hours and involved 125 subjects belonging to different avian species, of these 76.2% died spontaneously. The pathological lesions have been found in the apparatus of the skin and skeletal muscle (33%), in respiratory and cardiac system (22%), in the gastrointestinal system (19%) and in urinary tract (11%). It should be noted that in some cases pulmonary lesions were attributable to inhalation pneumonia (ab ingestis). The laboratory tests highlighted bacterial, fungal and parasitic diseases (ecto-endoparasites) only in 42 subjects with bacterial infections (14.3%), fungal infections (33.3%), endoparasites (28.6%), ectoparasites (23.8%). Virological tests were negative. In most cases for bacterial infections were isolated Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, two subjects had a systemic infection with Salmonella. In Fungal infections, there was mainly Aspergillus fumigatus in birds hospitalized for a long time. Endoparasites were found in the gastrointestinal system (coccidia, roundworms, capillary) but also in the air sacs and in the subcutaneous tissue with the presence of Laminosioptes cisticola and in other organs, such as the spleen, with the probable presence of Haemoproteus. Diagnostic tests on the deceased subject could highlight some causes of illness and mortality due to the environmental contamination (e.g. aspergillosis) or management mistakes (such as unbalanced diet with excess protein, inhalation pneumonia) and then they could lead to more effective in animal care in the wildlife rescue centers