# Avian tuberculosis identified as the potential disease in an outbreak in wild migratory birds in China

## TL;DR

This study finds avian tuberculosis as a cause of bird deaths in China, highlighting the need for wildlife disease monitoring to prevent public health risks.

## Contribution

The study presents a rare case of tuberculosis in wild migratory birds using meta-transcriptomic and histopathological methods.

## Key findings

- Avian tuberculosis is identified as a cause of mass mortality in migratory birds in Inner Mongolia.
- The study highlights the risk of interspecies transmission of the disease.
- It emphasizes the importance of wildlife disease surveillance for biodiversity and public health.

## Abstract

This study identifies avian tuberculosis as a potential cause of mass mortality in wild migratory birds in Inner Mongolia, China. Combining meta‐transcriptomic sequencing and histopathological analysis, it reveals one of the rare instances of tuberculosis‐associated outbreaks in avian populations. These findings underscore the importance of surveillance on wildlife diseases to mitigate the risk of interspecies transmission of the disease associated pathogens and their broader implications for biodiversity and public health.