Derzsy’s disease causes disastrous losses in domestic waterfowl farms. A genetically variant strain of Muscovy duck parvovirus (MDPV) and goose parvovirus (GPV) was named novel goose parvovirus (NGPV), which causes characteristic syndrome in young ducklings. The syndrome was clinically characterized by deformity in beaks and retarded growth, called short beaks and dwarfism syndrome (SBDS). Ten mule and pekin duck farms were investigated for parvovirus in three Egyptian provinces. Despite low recorded mortality rate (20%), morbidity rate was high (70%), but the economic losses were remarkable as a result of retarded growth and low performance. Isolation of NGPV was successful on primary cell culture of embryonated duck liver cells with a clear cytopathic effect. Partial gene sequence of the VP1 gene showed high amino acids identity among isolated strains and close identity with Chinese strains of NGPV, and low identity with classic GPV and MDPV strains. To the best of our knowledge, this can be considered the first record of NGPV infections in Egypt.

Avian influenza H9N2 (AIV-H9N2) and Infectious bronchitis (IB) viruses are the most commonly isolated viruses from poultry flocks suffering from respiratory signs with mortalities. The outcome of co-infection with both viruses hasn't been yet well understood. In this study, eighty 1-day-old specific pathogen free chicks were divided into four distinct groups. Group 1 remained uninfected as negative control group; groups 2, 3 and 4 were inoculated with either AIV-H9N2 or IBV or co infected with AIV-H9N2 followed by IBV three days post inoculation respectively. Chicks were monitored for clinical and pathological changes, virus shedding and both Interleukin-6 (IL6) and Interferon gamma (IFNc) cytokines immune responses. Clinical signs varied from mild to moderate respiratory signs in all challenged groups but were more severe in group 4 with mortalities in groups 3 and 4. Tracheal shedding of both viruses washigher in group 4 than group 2 and 3. Mean AIV-H9 virus titer in lung and kidney was higher in group 4 than group 2 in all time points. IFNc mRNA gene expression in lung was significantly lower in groups3 and 4. In conclusion, this study reports that coinfection of chicks with both viruses enhances the pathogenicity, increases both viruses shedding and extend AIV-H9 replication with impairment of IFNc stimulation in lung.

In recent years, Egyptian tilapia aquaculture has experienced mortality episodes during the summer months. The causative agents responsible for such mortalities have not been clearly identified. A total of 400 fish specimens were collected from affected tilapia farms within five Egyptian governorates. A total of 344 bacterial isolates were identified from the examined fish specimens. Bacterial isolates were grouped into seven genera based on API 20E results. The most prevalent pathogens were Aeromonas spp. (42%), Vibrio spp. (21%), and Streptococcus agalactiae (14.5%). Other emerging infections like, Plesiomonas shigelloides (10%), Staphyloccocus spp. (8%), Pseudomonas oryzihabitans, and Acinetobacter lwoffii (2.3%) were also detected. Sequence analysis of the 16S ribosomal RNA bacterial gene of some isolates, confirmed the phenotypic identification results. The analysis of antibiotic resistance genes revealed the presence of aac(6′)‐Ib‐cr (35.7%), blaCTX gene (23.8%), qnrS (19%), ampC (16.7%), floR (14.3%), sul1, tetA, and van.C1 (2.4%) genes in some isolates. The antimicrobia resistance gene, qac was reported in 46% of screened isolates. Bacterial strains showed variable virulence genes profiles. Aeromonas spp. harboured (act, gcat, aerA, lip, fla, and ser) genes. All Vibrio spp. possessed the hlyA gene, while cylE, hylB, and lmb genes, were detected in S. agalactiae strains. Our findings point to the possible role of the identified bacterial pathogens in tilapia summer mortality syndrome and highlight the risk of the irresponsible use of antibiotics on antimicrobial resistance in aquaculture.