Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Successful treatment of lung yeast infection in a sun conure bird
By Proença, Laila M et al.·Published in Journal of avian medicine and surgery·2014·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Antemortem Diagnosis and Successful Treatment of Pulmonary Candidiasis in a Sun Conure (Aratinga solstitialis).
- Species:
- bird
Plain-English summary
A male sun conure was brought to the vet because he was lethargic, had ruffled feathers, and wasn't eating well. The vet found he was also cold, dehydrated, and having trouble breathing. Tests showed signs of infection and identified a yeast called Candida albicans in his lungs. The bird underwent surgery where he received a special antifungal treatment, and afterward, he was given a mix of medications to help him recover. Thankfully, he made a full recovery and has been healthy for six months since then.
People also search for: sun conure lethargy treatment · bird respiratory infection symptoms · Candida treatment in birds
Abstract
An adult male sun conure (Aratinga solstitialis) was evaluated because of lethargy, ruffled feathers, and decreased appetite. Physical examination revealed hypothermia, dehydration, dyspnea, and crop distention. Results of a complete blood cell count revealed a marked inflammatory leukogram, and cytologic examination of a crop swab sample identified gram-negative bacilli and occasional yeast organisms. Radiographs demonstrated an opaque, ill-defined, soft tissue structure in the caudal coelom just cranial to the renogonadal silhouette, loss of serosal detail, and splenomegaly. Endoscopic examination revealed a pale, granuloma-like structure within the caudal aspect of the left lung, splenomegaly, and an enlarged proventriculus. Intraoperative cytologic examination of a biopsy sample of the lesion demonstrated yeast organisms, and a subsequent culture of the biopsy sample revealed Candida albicans . The bird was treated intraoperatively with intralesional amphotericin B. Postoperative treatment consisted of meloxicam, trimethoprim sulfa, amphotericin B by nebulization, and systemic itraconazole and fluconazole. The bird made a complete recovery, was discontinued from all medications, and has remained asymptomatic for 6 months. Although rare, pulmonary candidiasis should be on the list of differential diagnoses for any respiratory infection in birds. Endoscopic biopsy, cytology, and fungal culture were valuable in making the diagnosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25843470/