Chlamydiosis and Fungal disease of Birds

Question 1

Avian Chlamydiosis

Answer 1

Chlamydia psittaci

Small, obligate intracellular bacterial

Obligate = depends on host cell for energy needs

Question 2

Avian Chlamydiosis

Transmission

Answer 2

Fecal-oral, aerosol, secretions

Persists in organic material - aersolization from dried feces common

Question 3

Avian Chlamydiosis

Susceptibility

Answer 3

All birds

Most commonly affected pet birds: budgerigars, cockatiels

Question 4

Avian Chlamydiosis

Other names

Answer 4

psittacosis, ornithosis, parrot fever, chlamydophilia

Question 5

Avian Chlamydiosis

Biphasic Development

Elementary bodies

Answer 5

Infections

Extracellular

Metabolically nonacitve - no reporduciton, not susceptible to antibodics

Shed by infected animals, then ingested or inhaled by host

Attach to cell and penetrate → Reticulate Body

Question 6

Avian Chlamydiosis

Biphasic Development

Reticulate Bodies

Answer 6

Intracellular

Metabolically active form

Reproduces by binary fission and are susceptible to antibodies

Outcome: condense inot elementary bodies and passes to daughter cells during mitosis, released from cell if cell lyses or ithere is endosome fusion

Once released, revert back to elementary bodies

Question 7

Avian Chlamydiosis

BIphasic development

Intermediate Body

Answer 7

Form between RB nd EB

AKA dispersing form, condensing form

Not reproductively active

Form in sub-optimal conditions

Question 8

Avian Chlamydiosis

LIfe Cycle

Answer 8

Can be as short as 48 hours

Question 9

Avian Chlamydiosis

Incubation period

Answer 9

5-19 days

Question 10

Avian Chlamydiosis

Clinical Signs

Answer 10

No pathognomonic signs → easily confused with other dieases

Vary widely

Asymptomatic - many birds are carriers

Symptomatic - lethargy, weight loss, anorexia, diarrhea, oculonasal discharge, sinusitis, Systemic compromise to liver = change in urate color, Uncommon: head tilt, paresis, tremors

Question 11

Avian Chlamydiosis

Antemortem Diagnosis

CBC

Answer 11

Sometimes anemia, leukocytosis, heterophilia, monocytosis, toxicity

May see inclusion bodies in heterophis

Question 12

Avian Chlamydiosis

Antemortem Diagonsis

Biochemistry

Answer 12

elevated liver enzymes, uric acid, beta globulins, bile acids

Question 13

Avian Chlamydiosis

Antemortem Diagnosis

Radiographs

Answer 13

Hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, air sac thickening

Question 14

Avian Chlamydiosis

Antemortem Diagnosis

DNA PCR

Answer 14

Live organisms are not needed

Contaminants can inhibit PCR and give false negative

Cross contamintiaon at any step can give false postitve

CCC swab

Question 15

Avian Chlamydiosis

Postmortem Diagnosis

Answer 15

Hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, air sacculitis, pericarditis, pneuomonia, enteritis, nephrosis

Intracytoplasmic inclusions

Fibrinupurulent Serositis

Question 16

Avian Chlamydiosis

Treatment

Answer 16

Tetracyclines - best

45 day course, oral and IM forms

Azithromycin

Retest 2-8 weeks after treatment

Question 17

Avian Chlamydiosis

Mangement and Prevention

Answer 17

Quarantine - 30 days and tesl all new introduciton into a collection

Immunity short lived

Clean and disinfect shortly after treatment initiation and treatment conclusions

Question 18

Avian Chlamydiosis

Zoonotic risk?

Answer 18

VERY ZOONOTIC

Inhalation or ingestion of contaminated dust - usually exposure to urban pigeons

Human Sings: wide range

Flu-like symptoms to death

Question 19

Aspergillosis

Answer 19

Saprophytic fungus

Ubiquitous in environment

Opportunistic pathogen

NOT contagious

Question 20

Aspergillosis

Species Susceptibility

Answer 20

Arctic and Northern raptor

some juvenile birds

Penguins

Some parrots: african grey

Pelagic birds

Question 21

Aspergillosis

Risk Factors

Answer 21

Various substraes: hay, straw, corn

Immune status: neoplasia, circovirus, coritcosteroid treatment

Poor ventilation

High heat and humidity

Question 22

Answer 22

Form of Aspergillosis

Question 23

Apergillosis

Clinical signs

Answer 23

Most commonly, respiratoty signs

Chronic weight loss and anorexia

Decreased fitness

Question 24

Aspergillosis

Diagnosis

Answer 24

CBC - marked leukocytosis

Imaging - opacities in the lungs and or air sacs

Coelioscopy - GOLD STANDARD, biopsies for cytology, histopathology, culture

Question 25

Aspergillosis Dioagnosis - Limitied Utility Antibody Detection

Answer 25

Humoral immunity less important than cellular for fungal infections May be present in healthy patients Negative - does not rule out infection Postive - oly useful in conjunction with other findings

Question 26

Aspergillosis Dioagnosis - Limitied Utility Galactomannan

Answer 26

Detects fungal antigen galactomonnan False positive common d/t cross reaction with other antigens Fasle negative - common not understood why

Question 27

Aspergillosis Treatment

Answer 27

Itraconazole, vericonazole Allyamine: terbinafine Polyenes: amphotericin B Best success with a combination of drugs and routes of administration

Question 28

Candidiasis

Answer 28

Candida albicans Ubiquitous yeast

Question 29

Candidiasis Susceptible

Answer 29

Unweaned chicks Juvenile parrots Cockatiels Immunocompromised birds Birds on long term antimicrobials

Question 30

Candidiasis Cause of Infections

Answer 30

Endogenous due to yeast overgrowth Oral inoculation of overwhelming numbers

Question 31

Candidiasis Physical Exam Findings

Answer 31

Isolated to the GIT Oral whit lesions White lesions along GIT

Question 32

Candidiasis PE Findings Adult bird

Answer 32

Weight loss Lethargy Dull plumage

Question 33

Candidiasis PE FInding Young Birds

Answer 33

More severe anorexia crop stasis white plaques in oral cavity Regurgitaiton Weight loss

Question 34

Candidiasis Diagnosis

Answer 34

Cytlogy of the mouth, crop swan, or fecal swab Considered normal when in low numbers and when not budding

Question 35

Candidiasis Treatment

Answer 35

Nystatin No systemic absorption Requires direct contact; with lesions consider for milder form of disease Large volume required Fungistatic and not absorned form GIT → only effective in direct contact with tissue Low toxicity

Question 36

Candidiasis Treatment Fluconazole

Answer 36

Systemic absorption Consider for more sever forms of disease, when systemic concerns arise

Question 37

Macrorhabdosis

Answer 37

Macrorhabdus ornithogaster Previously called Megabacteria ornithogaster or Avian gastric yeast Obligate pathogen yeast, typically of smaller bird species

Question 38

Macrorhabdosis Susceptible

Answer 38

Budgerigars Lovebirds Parroltlets Eclectus parrots Passerines Ostriches

Question 39

Macrorhabdosis Clinical signs

Answer 39

Often nonspecific Weight loss - “going light syndrome” Progressive over months, usually with good appetite Regurgitation Diarrhea and maldigestion Melena

Question 40

Macrorhabdosis Differential diagonsis

Answer 40

Trichomoniasis Candidiasis Heavy metal toxicity Bacterial ventriculitis / entertitis Neoplasia Avian Bornavirus

Question 41

Macrorhandosis Antemortem Diagonsis

Answer 41

Challenging - shedding intermittent CBC/Chemistry - nonspecific, anemal, decreased electrolytes Imaging - nonspecific, proventricular dilation