Analysis of Exhaled Breath Condensate in a Mixed Population of Psittacine Birds

Collection of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and the measurement of inflammatory markers contained therein (eg, hydrogen peroxide [H2O2], leukotriene B4 [LTB4], and pH) have been reported to be noninvasive tools for the investigation of respiratory disease in various species. In this study, the EBC of clinically healthy psittacine birds (n = 15) and psittacine birds with respiratory tract disease (n = 19) was examined, and inflammatory markers contained in the EBC were analyzed and compared. Awake birds were placed in an acrylic container from which the outflow passed through a condensation system that collected the EBC. All samples were analyzed for pH, H2O2, and LTB4. The mean values for each of these components, as well as the mean volume of the total EBC, measured from the apparently healthy birds did not differ significantly from those measured in birds with signs of respiratory tract disease. However, LTB4 in the EBC of diseased birds was higher than that of the apparently healthy birds and showed a trend toward significance. The study demonstrated the establishment of a standardized method for collecting and analyzing EBC in psittacine birds and a measurement protocol for pH, H2O2, and LTB4.