OBJECTIVETo investigate clinical, pathological and mycological findings in canaries, in which pox lesions and Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) infection were observed simultaneously.

METHODSThis study was performed on a breeding colony (about 100 canaries) affected by fatal wasting disease. Necropsy was undertaken on 10 severely affected canaries, and gross lesions were recorded. Samples from internal organs displaying lesions were obtained for histopathological evaluation. Tracheal swap samples of internal organs of the all infected animals with lesions at necropsy were cultured in Sabouraud Dextrose Agar for mycological examination.

RESULTSAt necropsy, caseous foci were determined in the lungs, on the air sacs, liver, spleen, heart. Swelling of the eyelids, diffuse hemorrhages in the subcutaneous tissue with small papular lesions of the skin were other typical necropsy findings. Histopathologically, pathognomonic eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies, which called Bollinger bodies, in both skin cells and vacuolated air way epithelial cells confirmed canary pox infection. Moreover, histopathological examination of the white-yellowish caseous foci revealed necrotic granulomatous reaction consisting of macrophages, heterophil leukocytes and giant cells encapsulated with a fibrous tissue. After the culture of the tissue samples, the formation of bluish green colonies confirmed A. fumigatus infection.

CONCLUSIONSCanary pox has been known as the disease that can result in high losses in a short time, as a re-emerging disease that has not been present during recent years in canary flocks in Iran. So, the current paper provides useful information to prevent misdiagnosed of canary pox disease which can cause secondary mycotic infection.

Animals ; Aspergillosis ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; veterinary ; Aspergillus fumigatus ; isolation & purification ; Avipoxvirus ; physiology ; Canaries ; Colony Count, Microbial ; veterinary ; Fowlpox ; diagnosis ; virology ; Iran

A simplified polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed for fast and easy screening of mycoplasma mastitis in dairy cattle. Species of major mycoplasma strains [Mycoplasma (M.) bovis, M. arginini, M. bovigenitalium, M. californicum, M. bovirhinis, M. alkalescens and M. canadense] in cultured milk samples were detected by this simplified PCR-based method as well as a standard PCR technique. The minimum concentration limit for detecting mycoplasma by the simplified PCR was estimated to be about 2.5 x 10(3) cfu/mL and was similar to that of the standard PCR. We compared the specificity and sensitivity of the simplified PCR to those of a culture method. Out of 1,685 milk samples cultured in mycoplasma broth, the simplified PCR detected Mycoplasma DNA in 152 that were also positive according to the culture assay. The sensitivity and specificity of the simplified PCR were 98.7% and 99.7%, respectively, for detecting mycoplasma in those cultures. The results obtained by the simplified PCR were consistent with ones from standard PCR. This newly developed simplified PCR, which does not require DNA purification, can analyze about 300 cultured samples within 3 h. The results from our study suggest that the simplified PCR can be used for mycoplasma mastitis screening in large-scale dairy farms.
Animals ; Cattle ; Colony Count, Microbial/veterinary ; DNA, Bacterial/chemistry/genetics ; Disease Outbreaks/prevention & control/veterinary ; Female ; Mastitis, Bovine/diagnosis/*microbiology ; Milk/cytology/*microbiology ; Mycoplasma/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Mycoplasma Infections/diagnosis/microbiology/*veterinary ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary

Staphylococcus (S.) aureus is a common infectious agent of bovine chronic mastitis, a disease that is difficult to eradicate. The abilities of Staphylococci to be internalized and form a biofilm can contribute to host immunological defence evasion that subsequently impairs antimicrobial therapy. The invasive capability of six S. aureus field isolates with different biofilm-forming profiles was compared in vitro using a bovine mammary epithelial cell line. This was further confirmed in primary cell cultures using fluorescent rRNA probes against S. aureus. The results suggest that S. aureus invasion levels are not related to biofilm formation.
Animals ; *Biofilms ; Cattle ; Cell Line ; Colony Count, Microbial/veterinary ; Epithelial Cells/microbiology ; Female ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Mastitis, Bovine/*microbiology ; Portugal ; Staphylococcal Infections/*veterinary ; Staphylococcus aureus/classification/genetics/immunology/*physiology ; Virulence Factors/i

This study was conducted to analyze the prevalence and quantitative loads of Salmonella spp. on pig farms in Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Thailand to assess loading levels before slaughtering. The serotype diversity, antimicrobial-resistance pattern and pulse-field type of Salmonella spp. were also characterized to assess the dynamic propagation of the pathogen. The Salmonella-positive prevalence was 246/805 (30.56%), and the quantitative loads varied from 1.48~4.04 Log10MPN/g, with a mean +/- standard deviation of 2.11 +/- 0.57. AMP/S/TE (ampicillin/streptomycin/tetracycline) was the highest frequency antimicrobial resistance pattern found in this study. In addition, Salmonella Rissen was the primary serotype in this region. PFGE results indicated the occurrence of infection by cross contamination among pig farms. Our study showed that pork is easily contaminated with this pathogen. Farm control programs must be based on strict biosecurity and hygienic measures, which could further reduce the contamination pressure at slaughterhouses or retail shops.
Abattoirs ; Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/*pharmacology ; Bacterial Load/veterinary ; Colony Count, Microbial/veterinary ; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial/*drug effects ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field/veterinary ; Feces/microbiology ; Female ; Male ; Prevalence ; Salmonella/classification/*drug effects/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Salmonella Infections, Animal/*epidemiology/microbiology/transmission ; Serotyping/veterinary ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/*epidemiology/microbiology/transmission ; Thailand/epidemiology