Lead poisoning in a northern bobwhite in Georgia
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Updated: Oct 17, 2026

Procedures for Identifying Infectious Prions After Passage Through the Digestive System of an Avian Species
Published on: November 6, 2013
1Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens 30602, USA. llewis@calc.vet.uga.edu
Abstract:
A northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) was observed with partial paralysis on 3 March 1997 and found dead on 8 March 1997 on Di-Lane Plantation Wildlife Management Area (Burke County, Georgia, USA). The juvenile male was necropsied by the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (Athens, Georgia) and diagnosed with lead toxicosis. The bobwhite had liver tissue lead levels of 399 parts per million wet weight and two worn 1-mm diameter lead shot pellets were found in the gizzard.
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