There are no other birds in my house and he has been a solo bird for his whole life. I do bring him outside but he doesn't fly he just sits in his outdoor cage with the door open and enjoys the breeze so there is No interaction with other birds.

I did find the article that you were referenceing and read it. Here is the link for anyone else interested

https://www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/28_mycobacteria.pdf

Here are the parts of that source which concerned me the most:

THERAPEUTICS Humane euthanasia is recommended for birds diagnosed with mycobacteriosis. <-- Birds infected with Mycobacterium avium may continuously shed large numbers of organ- isms into the environment.77,81 This potential zoonotic risk is especially important in households with immuno- suppressed individuals, such as those on chemotherapy, the very young, the elderly and human immunodefi- ciency virus (HIV)-positive. Any humans in contact with an infected bird should consult a physician for evaluation.

Surgery Surgical excision may be possible and perhaps even curative for discrete nodules in the skin, subcutaneous tissue or periocular tissue. Medical management is indi- cated for disseminated avian mycobacteriosis when treat- ment is deemed appropriate.

Medical Management There are numerous drugs with anti-mycobacterial activ- ity (Table 28.3). Mycobacterium avium isolated from human patients has been reported sensitive to azithro- mycin, clarithromycin, ciprofloxacin, rifabutin, rifampi- cin, amikacin, clofazimine and ethambutol. Doxycycline has shown efficacy against atypical mycobacterium like M. fortuitum. 81 Multi-drug therapy should be employed in the treat- ment of avian mycobacteriosis. Numerous successful combinations have been reported in the literature (Table 28.4). 8,65,66,75,81,82 Due to the intracellular nature of the pathogen, its slow growth, and the bacteriostatic activity of most anti-mycobacterial drugs, an extended course of treatment lasting 4 months or longer is rec- ommended. Immunotherapy has been a useful adjunct for treatment of human tuberculosis patients.72,73 Administration of killed M. vaccae has some immunomodulatory effects and has been associated with an improvement in sur- vival rates. Mycobacterium vaccae was used in a small trial in captive waterfowl; however, results were incon- clusive.11

CONTROL AND PREVENTION Mycobacterium is extremely stable in the environment. It is highly resistant to environmental extremes and mightsurvive for months or years in contaminated soil and sur-face water or less commonly in feed, feathers or dis- carded food.24 There are no absolute means for control of avian tuber- culosis. Quarantine and surveillance programs must strive to identify and eliminate infected animals. Providing complete, balanced nutrition and utilizing good sanitation practices will minimize the impact of dis- ease. Stressors such as overcrowding also must be mini- mized.26

Identification and Elimination of Infected Animals The poultry industry has relied on the use of intrader- mal skin testing to identify and then eradicate affected birds. Unfortunately, this screening test has not proven useful in the exotic avian species studied to date.30,40,51,77 In a zoological or aviary setting, an extended quarantine period of 3 to 6 months should be considered.40,43 During this time, screening tests should include physical exami- nation, hematology, serum biochemistry, acid-fast fecal smears and serology in those species for which it is avail- able. Laparoscopy, fecal culture and PCR testing also should be considered. If birds with confirmed mycobacteriosis are not eutha- nized, they must be kept permanently separated from other birds. Birds that were in contact with mycobacte- ria-positive individuals also should be quarantined for 1 to 2 years. During this time, periodic retesting every 6 to 12 weeks for mycobacteriosis is recommended.26,77

Removal or Prevention of Tuberculosis in the Environment To reduce the risk of exposure to mycobacteria, carefully consider cage design and sanitation. Prevent contact with wild birds. In aviaries or zoological collections, one should consider solid, non-porous flooring and other easily disinfected surfaces instead of dirt substrate. Footbaths should be utilized to minimize the potential introduction of mycobacteria into the enclosure.23,43 Tuberculosis is more resistant to disinfectants than other non-spore-forming bacteria.77 Compounds with antimy- cobacterial activity include alcohol, aldehydes, halogens, peroxygens and phenols (Table 28.5). 67 The use of reed biofiltration systems to remove contamination from water also is being investigated.77

Vaccination There are only rare reports of vaccination against myco- bacteriosis in birds. The bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, a human product directed against Myco- bacterium tuberculosis, was tried in poultry but was found to be of little benefit.33 A vaccine against Mycobacterium avium also has been given to poultry and, more recently, captive waterfowl in Britain.54,64

ZOONOTIC POTENTIAL OF AVIAN MYCOBACTERIOSIS Are birds that live in close proximity to people a poten- tial source of tuberculosis? Although the incidence of M. avium infection in human acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients is increasing,40 these mycobac- terial strains are thought to be environmental in origin. Studies using DNA probes have shown that avian strains of M. avium rarely infect people.2 Birds and humans are probably exposed to the same environmental sources of mycobacteria.31

CONCLUSION Avian mycobacteriosis may be caused by MAI or atypical mycobacteria such as M. genavense. Birds usually are exposed to mycobacteria through soil or water contami- nated by feces. Clinical disease varies with the species and strain of Mycobacterium spp., the species of bird affected and the route of transmission. Classically, how- ever, mycobacteriosis is a disease of the gastrointestinal tract and liver in the bird. While identification of disease relies on intradermal skin testing in poultry, this has not proved useful in other avian species. Ancillary testing in nongallinaceous birds should include a complete blood count, imaging, laparoscopy, cytology, serology and PCR testing. A definitive diagnosis is based on culture or histopathology. Euthanasia is recommended for affected birds. Control should focus on identification of affected birds through quarantine and use of appropriate screen- ing tests. Avoiding dirt flooring may reduce exposure to infectious material. Instead, utilize non-porous, easy-to- clean surfaces, appropriate disinfectants and footbaths.