RESUMEN
An epidemic of conjunctivitis among house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) caused by Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) bacterial infections was first described in 1994. The disease exhibits high primary host specificity, but has been isolated from a limited number of secondary avian hosts at various times and locations. We used records from the House Finch Disease Survey, a continent-wide, volunteer monitoring project, to document the host range of conjunctivitis in birds at feeding stations and to investigate how disease in house finches might influence the spread of conjunctivitis to other hosts. Between 1994 and 1998, participants recorded 675 cases of conjunctivitis in 31 species other than house finches in eastern North America. Seventy five % of these cases were observed among three species: American goldfinches (Carduelis tristis), purple finches (Carpodacus purpureus) and house sparrows (Passer domesticus). The proportion of sites with diseased wintering populations of the three species increased over the 4 yr study and coincided with range expansion of conjunctivitis in house finches. Sites with diseased house finches present were significantly more likely to report conjunctivitis in each of the three species during the same month. These observations are most consistent with transmission of an infectious agent (presumably MG) from house finches to these secondary hosts via spillover of localized epidemics, rather than sustained interspecific transmission.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedades de las Aves/epidemiología , Conjuntivitis/veterinaria , Infecciones por Mycoplasma/veterinaria , Animales , Conjuntivitis/epidemiología , Infecciones por Mycoplasma/epidemiología , Infecciones por Mycoplasma/transmisión , América del Norte/epidemiología , Pájaros CantoresRESUMEN
Twenty-two free-ranging North American river otters (Lontra canadensis) from northern and eastern New York were captured and surgically implanted with radiotransmitters as part of a relocation project. The surgical technique involved an incision in the paralumbar fossa and transection through the abdominal musculature to introduce a radiotransmitter into the abdominal cavity. Two complications were encountered. Excessive hemorrhage occurred during one procedure. The otter was treated for blood loss with fluids, and it recovered uneventfully. Surgical incision infection occurred in a second animal. The otter was treated with metronidazole and enrofloxacin, and the wound was cleaned daily with chlorhexidine. The otter recovered uneventfully. Otters were released in western New York state. Postrelease monitoring via radiotelemetry revealed that the otters became established in their new ranges. The intra-abdominal implants did not affect their survival or reproductive potential.
Asunto(s)
Músculos Abdominales/cirugía , Nutrias/cirugía , Prótesis e Implantes/veterinaria , Telemetría/veterinaria , Abdomen , Animales , Pérdida de Sangre Quirúrgica/veterinaria , Femenino , Masculino , Infección de la Herida Quirúrgica/tratamiento farmacológico , Infección de la Herida Quirúrgica/cirugía , Infección de la Herida Quirúrgica/veterinaria , Telemetría/instrumentaciónRESUMEN
A field study was conducted to determine the prevalence of conjunctivitis and Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) infections in house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) and other songbirds common to bird feeders in Tompkins County (New York, USA). Eight hundred two individuals of 23 species and nine families of birds were captured and given physical examinations during the 14 mo study beginning in February 1998. Clinical conjunctivitis (eyelid or conjunctival swelling, erythema, and discharge) was observed in 10% (19/196) of house finches examined, and only in the winter months from November to March. Unilateral conjunctivitis was observed in 79% (15/19) of affected house finches; one case developed bilateral disease between 8 and 18 days following initial examination. Conjunctivitis was observed in a similar proportion of males and females sampled, and body condition scores and wing chord lengths were not significantly different between diseased and non-diseased house finches. Mycoplasma gallisepticum was isolated from 76% (13/17) of finches with conjunctivitis and 2% (3/168) of clinically normal house finches sampled during the study. DNA fingerprints of 11 MG isolates using random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) techniques showed no apparent differences in banding patterns over the course of the study, suggesting persistence of a single MG strain in the study population. The prevalence of conjunctivitis and MG infections declined in house finches between February/March 1998 and February/March 1999 (23% to 6%, and 20% to 5%, respectively), but only the former was significant (P < 0.05). Conjunctivitis was also observed in four American goldfinches (Carduelis tristis) and one purple finch (Carpodacus purpureus). Mycoplasma gallisepticum infection was confirmed in the purple finch, the first documented case of MG-associated conjunctivitis in this species. The purple finch isolate was similar to house finch isolates from the study site by RAPD analysis. Positive plate agglutination (PA) tests were recorded in one other goldfinch and two purple finches, suggesting exposure of these individuals to MG. Positive PA tests were also obtained from two brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) and four tufted titmice (Parus bicolor), but MG infection could not be confirmed in these cases due to lack of samples. Based on these findings, the prevalence of MG infections in hosts other than house finches appear to be low in the population sampled. There is growing evidence, however, that songbird species other than house finches are susceptible to MG infection and disease.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedades de las Aves/epidemiología , Conjuntivitis Bacteriana/veterinaria , Infecciones por Mycoplasma/veterinaria , Mycoplasma/aislamiento & purificación , Pájaros Cantores , Animales , Enfermedades de las Aves/microbiología , Conjuntivitis Bacteriana/epidemiología , Conjuntivitis Bacteriana/microbiología , Dermatoglifia del ADN/veterinaria , ADN Bacteriano/análisis , ADN Bacteriano/química , Femenino , Masculino , Mycoplasma/clasificación , Mycoplasma/genética , Infecciones por Mycoplasma/epidemiología , Infecciones por Mycoplasma/microbiología , New York/epidemiología , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa/veterinaria , Prevalencia , Técnica del ADN Polimorfo Amplificado Aleatorio/veterinaria , Estaciones del AñoRESUMEN
We conducted a field study to investigate the occurrence of Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) in eggs and nestlings from nests of house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus). Forty-three nests were located between the months of April and August 1998 and were followed with one to three sampling efforts. Vitelline membrane of fresh eggs, whole embryos, or swabs from the choanal cleft or conjunctiva of nestlings were inoculated into mycoplasma broth for MG isolation and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. No isolation of MG was made from 39 eggs or 110 nestlings sampled during the study. Pooled choanal and conjunctival swab samples from two broods of nestlings, however, tested positive for MG by PCR. None of the nestlings examined showed clinical signs of conjunctivitis, and no nestling mortality could be linked to MG infection. Serologic tests from 37 older nestlings were negative for antibodies to MG. The results suggest transmission of MG is occurring between breeding adults and their dependent offspring (pseudovertical transmission). Evidence supporting transovarian transmission of MG was not found in these house finches.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedades de las Aves/epidemiología , Infecciones por Mycoplasma/veterinaria , Mycoplasma/aislamiento & purificación , Óvulo/virología , Envejecimiento , Canal Anal/virología , Animales , Anticuerpos Antivirales/sangre , Enfermedades de las Aves/virología , Conjuntiva/virología , Embrión no Mamífero/virología , Femenino , Mycoplasma/clasificación , Infecciones por Mycoplasma/epidemiología , New York/epidemiología , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa , Pájaros CantoresRESUMEN
Lesions consistent with exertional myopathy (EM) were documented postmortem in four North American river otters (Lutra canadensis) during translocation for a population restoration project. Clinical signs in these otters included depression, anorexia and shock. Gross lesions in one otter included locally extensive linear, pale areas within the subscapularis, rectus abdominis, quadriceps, and dorsal laryngeal muscles. Microscopic lesions were characterized by acute to subacute myofiber necrosis of varying severity, and occurred in a variety of skeletal muscles as well as cardiac muscle in one otter. Based on these observations, we conducted a retrospective review of records of otters which experienced similar capture, transfer, and holding protocols between 1995 and 1997, but with a successful outcome (n = 69). Significant elevations in serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and creatine kinase (CK) were observed in 19 (28%) of the otters, but may have been higher due to delayed sample collection from some otters. However, none of the otters with elevated enzymes exhibited clinical signs suggestive of EM. These findings indicate that river otters may develop EM when translocated, but many cases may be mild or clinically inapparent.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedades Musculares/veterinaria , Nutrias , Esfuerzo Físico , Estrés Fisiológico/veterinaria , Animales , Animales Salvajes , Aspartato Aminotransferasas/sangre , Estudios de Cohortes , Creatina Quinasa/sangre , Femenino , Agua Dulce , Masculino , Músculo Esquelético/enzimología , Músculo Esquelético/patología , Enfermedades Musculares/epidemiología , Enfermedades Musculares/etiología , Enfermedades Musculares/patología , Necrosis , New York , Prevalencia , Restricción Física/veterinaria , Estrés Fisiológico/complicaciones , TransportesRESUMEN
Auditory event related potentials were recorded from neonatal, 3-month, and 3-year old rhesus monkeys. Auditory brainstem evoked responses (ABRs) were reliably recorded at all ages. ABR latencies decreased with age. Age effects were greater the more centrally generated the wave. Wave I amplitude decreased with age, Wave II increased, and Wave IV remained about the same. Stimulus rate effects were greater in neonates than older monkeys. Stimulus frequency also affected the ABR, but not differentially as a function of age. Recording montage had a significant effect on the recorded waveform. Wave I tended to be larger in amplitude in horizontal recordings and front-back recordings, while the later waves were relatively more prominent in more vertical montages. Middle latency evoked responses and late potentials were less reliably recorded than the ABR. Their reproducibility improved with age. Auditory event related potentials are promising measures of auditory function for research requiring nonhuman primate models of the developing human.
Asunto(s)
Potenciales Evocados Auditivos del Tronco Encefálico/fisiología , Macaca mulatta/crecimiento & desarrollo , Adaptación Fisiológica , Factores de Edad , Análisis de Varianza , Animales , Enmascaramiento Perceptual/fisiología , Tiempo de Reacción/fisiologíaRESUMEN
Observations from a citizen-based survey were used to identify potential risk factors associated with mycoplasmal conjunctivitis (Mycoplasma gallisepticum) in eastern house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus). Between November 1994 and October 1996, 778 volunteers provided 7,224 monthly observations at residential bird feeding sites across an eight state region in the eastern USA. Information collected by questionnaires included health status of house finches and four sympatric passerine species, types and number of bird feeders maintained, neighborhood housing locale and altitude of the observation site. Bivariate analyses revealed that house finches were 14 to 72 times as likely to be observed with conjunctivitis than the sympatric species studied. Year of the study, season, and the presence of platform, hopper, and tube type feeders were significantly associated with conjunctivitis in house finches. Multivariate analysis using a logistic regression model suggests that increased risk of conjunctivitis in house finches was associated with the second year of the study (the third year of the outbreak), the cooler non-breeding periods from September through March, and the presence of tube style feeders. In addition, the presence of raised platform type feeders may have been protective against conjunctivitis in house finches. Prevention of spread of this disease may include modifying bird feeding activities based on season and type of feeder.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedades de las Aves/epidemiología , Conjuntivitis Bacteriana/veterinaria , Infecciones por Mycoplasma/veterinaria , Animales , Enfermedades de las Aves/etiología , Aves , Distribución de Chi-Cuadrado , Conjuntivitis Bacteriana/epidemiología , Conjuntivitis Bacteriana/etiología , Ingestión de Alimentos , Modelos Logísticos , Mid-Atlantic Region/epidemiología , Infecciones por Mycoplasma/epidemiología , Infecciones por Mycoplasma/etiología , New England/epidemiología , Oportunidad Relativa , Factores de Riesgo , Estaciones del AñoRESUMEN
An osteosarcoma arising from the left hemimandible was diagnosed in an adult American robin (Turdus migratorius). Neoplastic spindle cells were observed extending away from foci of trabecular bone in dense sheets, occasionally within osteoid tissue. The variably pleomorphic spindle cells contained fibrillar, lightly basophilic cytoplasm, irregular, round to ovoid nuclei, and single or multiple small nucleoli. This is the first report of an osseous neoplasm in a wild passerine.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedades de las Aves/diagnóstico , Aves , Neoplasias Mandibulares/veterinaria , Osteosarcoma/veterinaria , Animales , Enfermedades de las Aves/epidemiología , Enfermedades de las Aves/patología , Nucléolo Celular/ultraestructura , Núcleo Celular/ultraestructura , Citoplasma/ultraestructura , Incidencia , Masculino , Mandíbula/patología , Mandíbula/ultraestructura , Neoplasias Mandibulares/diagnóstico , Neoplasias Mandibulares/patología , Osteosarcoma/diagnóstico , Osteosarcoma/patología , Estados Unidos/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
Between 1980 and 1994, 586 individuals of 20 native reptile and amphibian species were evaluated at a wildlife rehabilitation facility in DuPage County, Illinois (USA). On examination, 48% of reptiles and 52% of amphibians were injured, and 2% of each class were diseased; remaining animals were uninjured. The most frequent causes of injury to reptiles were automobile collisions (55%), ingestion of fishing tackle (19%), and domestic animal attacks (8%). Automobile collisions (38%), lawn and garden accidents (33%), and pet collection (19%) were the most frequent causes of injury to amphibians. We released 354 reptiles and 54 amphibians into appropriate habitat available in local forest preserves, representing case release prevalences of 84% and 68% for each class, respectively.