Pathophysiology of excessive iron storage in mynah birds

Hepatic iron overload was diagnosed in young and adult Rothschild's mynah birds. By light microscopic evaluation, it was determined that there was progressive accumulation of iron pigment with age in the hepatocytes. The Kupffer's cells of the liver, the reticuloendothelial cells of the spleen, and the phagocytic cells in the small intestine were negative for Prussian blue (iron) pigments. These observations suggested that diet had only a minor influence on the iron distribution in the mynah birds. This was confirmed by comparing iron distribution in the liver and spleen of mynah birds with that in other exotic birds receiving the same diet as the mynah birds. The syndrome of excessive iron overload in the mynah birds shared most of the important histopathologic characteristics with idiopathic (hereditary) hemochromatosis in human beings.