CLINICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS OF ASPERGILLOSIS IN MAGELLANIC PENGUINS (Spheniscus magellanicus)

Abstract

We studied a series of fifteen fatal cases of aspergillosis in penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus), seen over a 4-year period at a rehabilitation center in Southern Brazil. The clinical and pathological findings based on the lesions found at necropsy are described herein. The majority of animals (11/15) had sudden death without clinical signs. In 33.3% (5/15) of the cases, aspergillosis was restricted to the respiratory system and 66.6% showed disseminateddisease, with liver, kidney, adrenal gland and gastrointestinal tract involvement. Typical lesions were characterized as white-yellowish granulomatous nodules. To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest series of aspergillosis cases described in penguins in SouthAmerica.

Keywords

• aspergillosis
• avian pathology
• mycosis
• penguins
• seabirds.