American Kestrel (Falco spaverius) Fledgling With Severe Bilateral Periorbital Swelling and Infection WithMycoplasma buteonis,Avibacterium(Pasteurella)gallinarum, andStaphylococcus pasteuri

Abstract

A female American kestrel (Falco spaverius) fledgling was found on the ground with a suspected trauma to the right eye and open-mouth breathing. During the first 2 days of hospitalization, the bird developed severe bilateral periorbital cellulitis, blepharoedema, and sinusitis. The periocular tissues of the right globe were devitalized and communicated with a fistula at the commissure of the right side of the beak. The blepharoedema of the left eye was aspirated and yielded a dark colored malodorous fluid, which was submitted for aerobic bacterial and Mycoplasma cultures. Results showed a mixed infection with Mycoplasma buteonis, Avibacterium gallinarum, and Staphylococcus pasteuri, all of which are not commonly isolated from birds of prey. With antimicrobial therapy, supportive care, and surgical debridement of the right periocular necrotic tissues and adhesed phthisical globe, the kestrel recovered from this severe mixed upper respiratory infection.

An Unusual Case of Staphylococcus pasteuri Osteomyelitis

“…The species was characterized at Pasteur's namesake institution The Institut Pasteur in Paris, France. 1 The bacterium is not a common skin flora, but rather has been isolated in drinking water 2 and a number of foods, including goat milk, 1 Italian sausages, 3 sea fish, 4 and retail beef, 5 as well as from indoor airborne bacteria, 6 bird eye fluid, 7 and stratospheric air samples. 8 It can be overrepresented in the gastrointestinal tract in children with active celiac disease 9 and can sometimes be found in platelet transfusions.…”

Systemic staphylococcosis in partridge chicks

“…Macroscopic lesions in brain tissues following the injection of partridges were mostly inapparent, but the histopathological examination of the brain tissue revealed congestion and thrombosis. Experimentally induced staphylococcosis as well as naturally occurring disease have been reported in chickens (Mutalib et al 1983a, McNamee et al 2000, Jiang et al 2015, turkeys (Linares et al 2001, Corrand et al 2012, pet birds (Briscoe et al 2008, Huynh et al 2014, Iverson et al 2015, birds of prey (Poorbaghi et al 2012, Bezjian 2014, waterfowl (Degernes et al 2011, Mondal et al 2014, and other avian species (Lemon et al 2012). The pathogenesis of systemic infection with Staphylococcus aureus in chukar partridge chicks is not clearly defined.…”

Description and prevalence of Mycoplasma ciconiae sp. nov. isolated from white stork nestlings (Ciconia ciconia)

“…Debilitated birds take higher risks while foraging, which improves their chances of getting caught or injured (Wobeser, 2006). Interpretation of the results is further complicated, as mycoplasma in diseased birds are often found together with other pathogenic organisms (Bezjian & Bezjian, 2014;Pennycott et al, 2005;Strugnell et al, 2011). The mycoplasma in these cases could therefore be the primary cause, co-infection, secondary infection or an incidental finding.…”