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Increased mortality in wild tits in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany) in 2020 with a special focus on Suttonella ornithocola and other infectious pathogens

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Abstract

From April to June 2020, during a period of increased mortality of tits (Cyanistes caeruleus, Parus major, Periparus ater) in Germany, 84 tits were pathomorphologically and microbiologically investigated in governmental veterinary investigation offices in North Rhine-Westphalia using a broad diagnostic panel. Although Suttonella ornithocola was the most frequently detected bacterium (36/84), other pathogens, in particular Chlamydia psittaci (12/65), were also identified, sometimes as concurrent infection (3/36). In conclusion, S. ornithocola-infection seems to play an important role within the epidemic tit mortality in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany in 2020. However, these cases may be combined with sporadic and/or endemic causes of mortality (e.g., other pathogens, trauma, or predation) for these species.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Ute Ziegler, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases (INNT), Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Germany, and Gyozo Kaján, Institute for Veterinary Medical Research, Centre for Agricultural Research, ELKH, Hungary, for supporting the laboratory testings for West Nile-, Usutu-, and adenoviruses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Agency for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection North Rhine-Westphalia, Wildlife Research Institute, Puetzchens Chaussee 228, 53229, Bonn, Germany

    Luisa Fischer

  2. Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Office Westfalen, Arnsberg, Germany

    Martin Peters & Sabine Merbach

  3. Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Office Ostwestfalen-Lippe, Detmold, Germany

    Maja Eydner & Henning Petersen

  4. Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Office Rhein-Ruhr-Wupper, Krefeld, Germany

    Annette Kuczka & Jacqueline Lambertz

  5. Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Office Muensterland-Emscher-Lippe, Muenster, Germany

    Maren Kummerfeld, Konstanze Kahnt & Alexander Weiss

Authors
  1. Luisa Fischer
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  2. Martin Peters
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  3. Sabine Merbach
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  4. Maja Eydner
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  5. Annette Kuczka
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  6. Jacqueline Lambertz
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  7. Maren Kummerfeld
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  8. Konstanze Kahnt
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  9. Alexander Weiss
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  10. Henning Petersen
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Correspondence to Luisa Fischer.

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Fischer, L., Peters, M., Merbach, S. et al. Increased mortality in wild tits in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany) in 2020 with a special focus on Suttonella ornithocola and other infectious pathogens. Eur J Wildl Res 67, 56 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-021-01500-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-021-01500-7

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