Systemic listeriosis in caged canaries (Serinus canarius)

The occurrence of listeriosis in 12 caged canaries is described where 50% of the birds, including the female and all of the offspring, died within 2 weeks without clinical signs. At necropsy, multifocal necrotizing and partly granulomatous hepatitis, splenitis, myocarditis, interstitial nephritis, and exudative pericarditis with intra-lesional Listeria monocytogenes were the predominant findings as shown by histopathology and immunohistochemistry. Microbiology, serology and polymerase chain reaction revealed L. monocytogenes serotype 1/2a as the causative agent. Thus listeriosis has to be considered in the differential diagnosis for granulomas associated with mycobacteriosis, yersiniosis, coligranulomatosis or fungal infections.