Systemic amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis in the Bengalese finch (Lonchura striata var. domestica)

The incidence of systemic amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis was high in Bengalese finches (Lonchura striata var. domestica), as 150 of 235 birds from 5 breeding colonies (63.8%) tested positive for it. The incidence was statistically significantly higher in one colony. The liver was the most frequently affected organ (150 cases), followed by the spleen and then the kidneys. The degree of amyloid deposition was high in the liver and spleen and low in the kidneys. The histological distribution of amyloid deposits was similar in all finch species. Species-specific or colony-specific predisposing factors for systemic AA amyloidosis in Bengalese finches remain to be elucidated. As far as we know, this is the first report of amyloidosis in Bengalese finches.