Pulmonary aspergillosis and amyloid accumulation in an ostrich (Struthio camelus)

Abstract

Fatal pulmonary aspergillosis and AA type amyloid accumulations in the liver and spleen are described in a female ostrich (Struthio camelus). The animal had had respiratory problems and long-term inappetence over an 8-week period. Necropsy revealed that several soft, grayish to white nodules ranging from 1 to 3 mm in diameter were scattered throughout the lungs and thoracic air sacs. Prominent enlargement of the liver and spleen was observed. No gross lesions were found in the other organs studied. The microscopic examination showed severe, necrotizing, granulomatous pneumonia, and air sacculitis. Aspergillus fumigatus was recovered from the lungs and air sacs as pure culture colonies. Amyloid deposition was demonstrated in the liver and spleen slides by Congo red and immunohistochemistry. To the authors' knowledge, to date no case of amyloid accumulation in ostrich has been reported. We report, for the first time, diffuse AA amyloidosis in the liver and spleen of an ostrich, probably occurring secondary to aspergillosis.