There are other aspects of examination that have a legal dimension and
those involved in such work should be aware of this. Health and safety
legislation may dictate how and where a postmortemexamination is performed.
Where a zoonotic disease is suspected, the legislation may demand that a risk
assessment is carried out (see earlier) and, perhaps, that the necropsy is only
performed if either: (a) appropriate protection—clothing, equipment, and
facilities—is available for all those involved, and (b) the personnel are appropri-
ately experienced or trained in the handling of dangerous microorganisms and
disposal of clinical waste.
The number of zoonoses known to be contractable from birds is increasing,
partly as a result of the rise in numbers of immunosuppressed human beings
(see earlier). For example, the disease cryptococcosis, due to Cryptococcus neofor-
mans, an organism harbored and disseminated by some wild birds, especially
pigeons, is now much more frequently reported in humans, primarily those that
are immunocompromised. Therefore, the assumption should be that an organ-
ismisa risk to humans rather than the converse.
Other legislation is also relevant to the examination of dying and dead
birds. Many of these concern the movement of carcasses or specimens (Cooper
1987, 2000). In-country regulations usually relate primarily to postal require-
ments for adequate packing and transportation of what might be pathogenic
material. When moving samples from one country to another, the situation
becomes more complex because conservation legislation, especially CITES,
may apply. The appropriate Ministry (Department) of Agriculture of the receiv-
ing country is likely to require documentation describing the type of material
that is being transported, particularly its likely pathogenicity, and if the birds or
samples in question are covered by CITES, there will be an additional need for
permits.
The situation regarding the movement of small specimens, such as blood
smears, or tissues for DNA study, is a cause of frustration for many who are
involved in avian research who wish to send samples to colleagues or laboratories
in other countries. Even the smallest sample can fall into the category of a “rec-
ognized derivative” under the CITES Regulations and thus require appropriate
documentation and authorization. There have been strong moves in recent years
to obtain an exemption for such material, especially if it is required for important
diagnostic, forensic, or similar purposes. The Conference of the Parties of
CITES continues to debate the issue and, at the time of writing, following the
CITES Conference of the Parties in Santiago, Chile, 2002, the likely outcome
seems to be the introduction of a “fast-track” system for small, but urgent,
samples.
202 |Information from dead and dying birds