Unit 3: Avibacterium, Ornithobacterium, and Taylorella

Question 1

What is Avibacterium paragallinarum the cause of?

Answer 1

fowl coryza in chickens

Question 2

What does Avibacterium paragallinarum require for growth?

Answer 2

V factor and 1% NaCl

Question 3

What is the natural habitat for Avibacterium paragallinarum?

Answer 3

the upper respiratory tract of chickens - recovered birds are carriers

Question 4

What lesions/clinical signs are associated with an Avibacterium paragallinarum infection?

Answer 4

there is acute inflammation of turbinates, acute air sacculitis, sneezing, conjunctivitis, sweeling of the head and wattles, decreased food intake with marked loss of egg production

Question 5

How is Avibacterium paragallinarum infection diagnosed?

Answer 5

via culture from exudates

Question 6

Are there bacterins for Avibacterium paragallinarum and in what populations are they used in?

Answer 6

yes; in multi-layer operations

Question 7

How is Avibacterium paragallinarum infection controlled?

Answer 7

by depopulating and then repopulating with clean birds

Question 8

What is ORT?

Answer 8

Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale

Question 9

What disease processes is ORT associated with?

Answer 9

respiratory disease, decreased growth rate, and mortality in turkeys and chickens

Question 10

How does ORT look on gram stain?

Answer 10

gram negative pleomorphic rod

Question 11

What are the best conditions for ORT to grow in?

Answer 11

7.5 to 10% CO2 environment

Question 12

What is the natural habitat of ORT?

Answer 12

presumably the upper respiratory tract of chickens and turkeys

Question 13

How is ORT transmitted?

Answer 13

by an aerosol route and through the egg

Question 14

What lesions are associated with an ORT infection?

Answer 14

pneumonia, pleuritis, mild sinusitis, mild tracheitis, airsacculitis, fibrinous pericarditis, hepatomegaly, and oophoritis

Question 15

What lesion due to ORT is unique to turkeys?

Answer 15

blood-stained mucus

Question 16

In turkeys, what lesions are associated with an ORT infection at 2 weeks of age?

Answer 16

respiratory signs followed by facial edema and swelling of the infraorbital sinuses

Question 17

In turkeys, what lesions are associated with an ORT infection at 12-14 weeks of age?

Answer 17

sudden death, depression, marked dyspnea, and blood stained mucus - 50% mortality rate

Question 18

In broiler chickens, what lesions are associated with an ORT infection at 3-4 weeks of age?

Answer 18

sneezing, nasal discharrge, sinusitis, increased mortality and poor rate of gain

Question 19

What is the most common age of infection of ORT in broiler chickens?

Answer 19

6 months

Question 20

How is ORT infection diagnosed?

Answer 20

isolation and ID of the organism, an AGID test also works

Question 21

What is the most predominant serotype of ORT?

Answer 21

serotype A

Question 22

What is the best way to immunize against ORT?

Answer 22

by giving bacterins to hens

Question 23

How do you treat an ORT infection?

Answer 23

Do an antibiotic susceptibility test - tetracyclines and amoxicillin through the water have been successful

Question 24

What is the cause of contagious equine metritis?

Answer 24

Taylorella equigenitalis

Question 25

What does Taylorella equigenitalis look like on gram stain?

Answer 25

a short gram-negative rod (coccobacillus)

Question 26

What is required for primary isolation of Taylorella equigenitalis?

Answer 26

it requires 2-5 days in 5% CO2 but can take up to 15 days

Question 27

What do colonies of Taylorella equigenitalis look like?

Answer 27

they are pinpoint colonies

Question 28

What is the habitat of Taylorella equigenitalis?

Answer 28

clitoral fossa of mares; stallions carry it on the penis, sheath, and in urethra

Question 29

What does Taylorella equigenitalis cause in mares?

Answer 29

vaginitis, cervicitis, endometritis - characterized by a large amount of mucopurulent exudate

Question 30

True or False: Immunity against Taylorella equigenitalis is good.

Answer 30

False: it is poor, mares relapse

Question 31

How do you treat for a Taylorella equigenitalis infection?

Answer 31

penicillin, ampicillin, nitrofurazone, neomycin, and chlorhexidine
repeat uterine flushes at 7-14 days
stallion - daily cleansing with chlorohexidine and nitrofurazone