Fatal Coxiellosis in Swainson's Blue Mountain Rainbow Lorikeets (Trichoglossus haematodus moluccanus)

Abstract

Three Swainson's Blue Mountain Rainbow Lorikeets (Trichoglossus haematodus moluccanus), ranging from 6 to 8 months of age, presented with lethargy, emaciation, and progressive neurologic signs. The first one died 24 hours after the onset of clinical signs, and the other two were euthanized 10 to 14 days after the onset of progressive neurologic disease. Clinical signs in these lorikeets included head pressing, hemiparesis, seizures, obtunded mentation, weakness, and lethargy. Two of the lorikeets had hepatomegaly, and one had splenomegaly on gross examination. Histopathology revealed disseminated microgranulomas in the liver, spleen, and brain, and lymphohistocytic perivascular encephalitis and cephalic vasculitis. Electron microscopic examination of macrophages in brain lesions revealed spherical to rod-shaped prokaryotic organisms with a trilaminar cell wall. Molecular analysis revealed a novel species of Coxiella. This is believed to be the first report of a Coxiella sp. causing disease in a lorikeet.

Fatal Hepatic Sarcocystosis in a Captive Black Bear (Ursus Americanus) Associated with Sarcocystis Canis-Like Infection

“…Sections from the blocks were cut and DNA was extracted with the use of a commercial kit, h as previously described. 25 Sarcocystis 18S rRNA sequences from GenBank were aligned with the National Center for Biotechnology Information Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (NCBI BLAST), and genus-specific primers were designed with Primer3 23 online to amplify a variable region flanked by conserved regions for primer binding. Primers 123F (59-TATCAGCTTTCGACGGTAGTGTATT-39) and 644R (59-ACCGAAATCCTATCTTGTTATTCC-39) were named in relation to positions on S. canis GenBank accession no.…”

Systemic Coxiella-like Infection With Myocarditis and Hepatitis in an Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus)

“…1,6,9,10 It is an obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacteria that is phylogenetically related to Legionella, Francisella, and Rickettsia spp and resides within a parasitophorous vacuole in the cellular cytoplasm. 10 C. burnetii has been identified in many species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and arthropods. 3 Illness associated with bacterial infection is well documented and varies greatly between and within species, ranging from inapparent to severe disease.…”

“…9,10 Clinical signs of the affected birds ranged from inapparent illness to severe lethargy and weakness, altered mental status, seizures, and sudden death. 9,10 Gross findings in the affected birds included emaciation with hepatomegaly and splenomegaly. 9,10 Histologic examination of the liver revealed multifocal necrosis of hepatocytes with infiltration of a mixed population of inflammatory cells, including lymphocytes, heterophils, plasma cells, and macrophages.…”

“…9,10 Gross findings in the affected birds included emaciation with hepatomegaly and splenomegaly. 9,10 Histologic examination of the liver revealed multifocal necrosis of hepatocytes with infiltration of a mixed population of inflammatory cells, including lymphocytes, heterophils, plasma cells, and macrophages. Infected macrophages often contained basophilic intracytoplasmic inclusions.…”

“…9,10 This avian isolate has been referred to as a Coxiella-like microorganism. 9,10 This report describes a fatal systemic infection in a captive eclectus parrot by a Coxiella-like organism that was morphologically similar to the agent reported to cause infection in several avian species. 9,10 In addition, a portion of the 16s rRNA gene was determined to be genetically identical to the same agent.…”