Vol. 35 No. 2 (2025): Revista Ciência Animal
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ASSOCIATION OF NYSTATIN AND SODIUM BENZOATE IN THE TREATMENT OF MACRORHABIDOSE IN COCKATIEL IN NORTHEAST BRAZIL

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  • Ana Caroline Freitas Caetano de SOUSA SOUSA,
  • Wanderson Lucas Alves dos SANTOS,
  • Ana Carolina Souza MAIA,
  • Raimundo Marcel Gomes PRACIANO,
  • João Augusto Rodrigues Alves DINIZ,
  • Amanda de Carvalho MOREIRA,
  • Fabiano Rocha PRAZERES JÚNIOR,
  • Carlos Iberê Alves FREITAS,
  • Juliana Fortes Vilarinho BRAGA
Ana Caroline Freitas Caetano de SOUSA SOUSA
Dpt o of Animal Sciences, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró/RN
Wanderson Lucas Alves dos SANTOS
Dpt o of Animal Sciences, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró/RN
Ana Carolina Souza MAIA
Dpt o of Animal Sciences, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró/RN
Raimundo Marcel Gomes PRACIANO
Dpt o of Animal Sciences, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró/RN
João Augusto Rodrigues Alves DINIZ
Dpt o of Animal Sciences, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró/RN
Amanda de Carvalho MOREIRA
Dpt o of Animal Sciences, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró/RN
Fabiano Rocha PRAZERES JÚNIOR
Postgraduate Program in Biology Parasites, Universidade Federal de Sergipe
Carlos Iberê Alves FREITAS
Dpt of Health Sciences, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró/RN
Juliana Fortes Vilarinho BRAGA
Dpt o of Animal Sciences, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró/RN

Published 2025-07-01

Keywords

  • Avian clinic,
  • alternative therapy,
  • gastrointestinal

How to Cite

SOUSA, A. C. F. C. de S.; SANTOS, W. L. A. dos; MAIA, A. C. S.; PRACIANO, R. M. G.; DINIZ, J. A. R. A.; MOREIRA, A. de C.; PRAZERES JÚNIOR, F. R.; FREITAS, C. I. A.; BRAGA, J. F. V. ASSOCIATION OF NYSTATIN AND SODIUM BENZOATE IN THE TREATMENT OF MACRORHABIDOSE IN COCKATIEL IN NORTHEAST BRAZIL. Ciência Animal, [S. l.], v. 35, n. 2, p. 141–147, 2025. Disponível em: https://revistas.uece.br/index.php/cienciaanimal/article/view/15808. Acesso em: 30 jan. 2026.
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Macrorhabidosis is an infection caused by Macrorhabdus ornithogaster, an opportunistic ascomycete yeast mainly found in the digestive system of birds. Macrorhabidosis presents high morbidity and variable mortality, with death reported more frequently in young and immunosuppressed birds. It can be treated with antifungals; however, resistance to these drugs has been described, which has driven the development of alternative treatments, such as sodium benzoate. This paper presents the first report of macrorhabidosis in cockatiel and describes the treatment protocol, which included nystatin and sodium benzoate and led to complete recovery. A cockatiel with a history of progressive weight loss was treated at a veterinary clinic, and examination showed that it was apathetic, thin, and presented signs of regurgitation. Samples of the ingluvial contents were collected for cytological examination, from which microorganisms compatible with M. ornithogaster were identified. Along with supportive therapy, nystatin-based treatment was administered; however, due to the lack of improvement in clinical conditions, sodium benzoate was added to the protocol. After 21 days of treatment, the bird recovered and a marked reduction of M. ornithogaster in the animal's microbiota was observed. The results suggest that the inclusion of sodium benzoate contributed to the treatment's success.

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