Spironucleus meleagridis, an enteric diplomonad protozoan of cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus): preliminary molecular characterization and association with clinical disease.

A flagellated enteric diplomonad protozoan consistent with Spironucleus meleagridis (formerly Hexamita meleagridis) associated with gastrointestinal disease and mortality in psittacine birds including cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus) has been sporadically described in the literature. However, molecular characterization of psittacine protozoal isolates had not yet been performed. The 16S rRNA gene from a protozoan persistently shed in the feces in a small group of cockatiels demonstrated a 98% molecular identity with S. meleagridis isolated from turkeys. Based on these sequence data, a diagnostic PCR assay was developed to detect the presence of S. meleagridis. Nineteen privately owned pet cockatiels from unrelated households were clinically evaluated. All birds microscopically positive for this organism were PCR positive, with several additional birds microscopically negative but PCR positive. Many of the birds identified as positive for S. meleagridis by fecal PCR had signs of gastrointestinal disease such as diarrhea, soft feces, and melena, whereas none of the birds that tested negative had gastrointestinal signs. Examination of feces from two unrelated cockatiel breeding facilities revealed 70% and 86% PCR positive rates. Prevalence of infection and incidence of clinical disease, including factors that lead to clinical manifestation such as viral, bacterial, or mycotic coinfections, are not yet known and warrant further study, but spironucleosis is likely an under-recognized disease in cockatiels.

Early surgery of hemorrhaging aneurysms of brain blood vessels.

Comprehension of the natural course of the aneurisms on the blood vessels of the brain has imposed the need for timely surgical treatment. The comfort of delayed surgery, due to the high risk of the rupture had to be overlooked. Early surgery, within the first three days from the rupture of the aneurysm, has a double role--it prevents rupture, but considerably decreases the risk of complications caused by subarachnoid hemorrhage, vasospasm and hydrocephalus. We present the results of the surgical treatment of 710 patients operated during the period from year 1994 until 1996. We point out that the treatment of patients was conducted in conditions that were not standard, due to sanctions. During operations at our disposal most of the time was only one clip and a limited quantity of drugs for the perioperative treatment. Our results show that compulsory candidates for early surgery are small patients in good clinical grading, without associated illnesses. Patients without clinical and angiographic signs of vasospasm may also be operated in the intermediary term. Patients with massive intracerebral hematoma caused by the rupture of the aneurysm who are in a coma should be urgently operated.