Mortality in psittacine birds resembling Pacheco's disease in Spain

Abstract

The sudden death of five sulphur-crested cockatoos (Cacatua galerita) with no apparent clinical signs was investigated. The birds had hepatitis with intranuclear inclusion bodies (IIBs), as well as IIBs in mononuclear spleen cells, epithelial cells of the kidney tubules and endothelial cells of the glomerular capillaries. Ultrastructurally, icosahedral herpesvirus-like particles, 110 to 115 nm in diameter were found consistent with Pacheco's disease. This is the first time the disease has been reported in cockatoos in Spain. © 1991, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.