Atypical distribution of fowl pox lesions in broilers.

An unusual cutaneous fowl pox outbreak occurred in 8-wk-old broilers in California. Rounded and longitudinal, proliferative scratch-associated lesions were found only in feathered areas of the body. Both sides of the hip, the lower abdomen, pericloacal area, and lateral lower neck area were involved. The head, legs, feet, and toes did not have lesions. Birds in only one section of one of five houses were affected. Fifteen percent condemnations occurred in birds from the affected house due to the skin lesions. A diagnosis of fowl pox was achieved by histopathology, viral isolation, and direct electron microscopy. The unusual distribution of pox lesions was assumed to be associated with skin scratches. There was no evidence that mosquitoes or other types of insects were involved in this outbreak. To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first report of this kind of unusual fowl pox in the United States.

Respiratory tract trichomoniasis in breeder squab candidates in Northern California.

Breeder squab candidates between the ages of 6 and 16 wk were submitted to the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, Turlock branch, as a result of respiratory distress and increased mortality. These cases were submitted from one Northern California commercial squab operation on three separate occasions occurring between December 2007 and March 2008. Severe trichomoniasis was identified, primarily in the tracheal epithelium and lung of squabs, with few or no lesions in the oral cavity, crop, esophagus, and livers, where the organism commonly infiltrates. Infiltration of the trachea and lung sections with trichomonads was associated with a severe inflammatory response in the surrounding tissue. Diagnosis was confirmed with the use of histopathology and an immunoperoxidase special stain. Oxytetracycline supportive antibiotic therapy to prevent secondary bacterial infections was administered to remaining squabs on the farm, but no specific treatment regimen was instituted. This novel respiratory presentation of trichomoniasis continued over a period of 3 mo, until mortality gradually returned to normal.

Hexamita meleagridis (Spironucleus meleagridis) infection in chukar partridges associated with high mortality and intracellular trophozoites.

An outbreak of infectious catarrhal enteritis, associated with the flagellated protozoan Spironucleus meleagridis (syn. Hexamita meleagridis), is reported from a commercial flock of chukar partridges in California. The disease affected birds between the ages of 4 and 6 wk and resulted in diarrhea, listlessness, depression, and high mortality. Concurrent infection with other intestinal pathogens, including Cryptosporidia, group E Salmonella, long-segmented filamentous microorganisms (LSFMOs), and Rotavirus-like virus particles, was found in some but not all affected birds. Dermatitis of the face, shanks, and feet, suggestive of B-complex vitamin deficiency, was present in most affected birds as well. Flagellated protozoan parasites could be found in the lumen of the duodenum and jejunum and in the intestinal crypts. In some cases the flagellates were wedged between epithelial cells or were located intracellularly within cells of the mucosal epithelium and the intestinal lamina propria.

Postural and neurological deficits in broiler chicks after cervical vaccination with live vaccine.

A disease characterized by paresis and paralysis was seen in 7-9-day-old broiler chicks after vaccination in the neck area at day-of-age with a live virus vaccine containing viruses of Marek's disease, fowl pox, and infectious bursal disease. Affected birds presented with variable signs of ataxia, lateral recumbency, leg paralysis, and twisting or S-shaped flexure of the neck. Gross lesions noted at necropsy included swelling and edema of the subcutaneous tissues and muscles of the neck at the injection site area. A heavy mononuclear inflammatory cell infiltration was seen in the subcutaneous tissues, connective tissues, and muscles of the neck at the injection site. In some cases, the inflammatory process extended along fascial planes to involve the epidural spaces surrounding the spinal cord. Fatty changes with possible demyelination of nerve fibers were noted in some sections of the spinal cord adjacent to the inflammatory lesions. Clusters of poxviruses were found within some inflammatory lesions on transmission electron photomicrographs.

An outbreak of erysipelas in 2-day-old poults.

Systemic erysipelas infection was seen in 2-to-4-day-old poults from three separate ranches owned by the same company. The affected poults were all from the same breeder source; poults from other breeder sources were seemingly unaffected. Mortality increased on days 2 and 3, ranging from 2% to 8.5%. Birds submitted were dehydrated and very weak, with one half of the poults submitted having died during transport to the lab. Gross lesions included swollen, congested livers and spleens, as well as hemorrhagic breast muscle in one case. Toes were swollen and reddish-purple in color. The poults had been toe-trimmed during hatchery processing using a commercial microwave. Histologically, periportal inflammation with heterophilic infiltration in the liver was noted. Spleens showed hyalinization of arteries, lymphoid depletion, and necrosis. Toe joints showed purulent synovitis and cellulitis. Gram stains done on impression smears of liver and spleen showed rare to moderate numbers of small gram-positive rods. Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was isolated from 18 of 22 livers cultured, five of six toe joints cultured, and from the yolk sac in two birds.

Complementary randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis patterns and primer sets to differentiate Mycoplasma gallisepticum strains.

Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was used to differentiate 7 strains of Mycoplasma gallisepticum. Six commercially available primers or primer combinations were screened for their ability to differentiate vaccine and type strains. Although major and minor bands were produced with each primer, many of the primers were unsuitable for strain differentiation. The use of primer 6 and combined primers 3 and 4 resulted in complementary RAPD banding patterns for each M. gallisepticum strain. Eleven different isolates representing 7 different strains were segregated into 7 different patterns, corresponding to the 7 strains.

Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis of Mycoplasma gallisepticum isolates from turkeys from the central valley of California.

Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was used to investigate the molecular epidemiology of 26 Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) isolates obtained from turkeys located in the central valley of California. The MG isolates were recovered from 5 different companies and 13 ranches. Each company had unique MG strains. No evidence of spread of MG between companies was detected. RAPD analysis of MG isolates within a ranch during an outbreak revealed only a single strain involved in each outbreak. RAPD analysis identified an isolate from 1 ranch with a banding pattern identical to that of the 6/85 vaccine strain, which had been used on that particular ranch. Similar RAPD banding patterns of isolates from different ranches within the same company suggested horizontal spread of MG between ranches. The use of 2 primer sets in RAPD analysis was critical to prevent misinterpretation of relationships between different isolates.

Pasteurella multocida infection involving cranial air spaces in White Leghorn chickens.

Seven 18-wk-old pullets from a commercial layer flock experiencing increased mortality associated with neurologic and respiratory symptoms were submitted to the California Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System at the Turlock Branch for necropsy. Clinical signs included depression, torticollis, swollen eyelids, conjunctivitis, and sinusitis. Meningoencephalitis and suppurative inflammation of the cranial air spaces were found on histopathology. The brain, sinuses, and air spaces of the cranium were infected with Pasteurella multocida. Complicating the condition was Mycoplasma gallisepticum infecting the sinus and paramyxovirus-I affecting the trachea.

Sticktight fleas associated with fowl pox in a backyard chicken flock in California.

A mixed breed rooster, from a backyard flock of 13 chickens, was received at California Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System-Turlock Branch for postmortem examination. The bird presented with thickened, featherless, scab-encrusted skin around the head region. Numerous sticktight fleas were found attached to the encrusted skin. Microscopic evaluation of the skin revealed a lymphoplasmacytic reaction in the dermis with visible embedded flea mouthparts. Also noted histologically in this region were epidermal hyperplasia and ballooned epidermal cells containing intracytoplasmic inclusions indicative of fowl poxvirus.

Ascaridia dissimilis larval migration associated with enteritis and low market weights in meat turkeys.

A meat turkey ranch had a history of producing flocks with low market weights. Live bird samples and environmental samples from the ranch were collected over a period of eight months and analyzed at the California Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System-Turlock Branch. The disease condition consistently present was enteritis associated with Ascaridia dissimilis infection in birds from growout houses. After aggressive control measures for A. dissimilis were implemented, subsequent flocks reached expected market weights.

Esophageal trichomoniasis in chickens.

Esophageal trichomoniasis has been rarely reported in chickens. At the California Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System-Turlock Branch, this disease was recently diagnosed in two cases submitted from backyard chicken flocks. The esophageal lesions observed were similar to those seen in several other important diseases of chickens. The causative trichomonad organisms were readily demonstrated on wet smears and by histologic studies. In both cases, the investigated flocks were afflicted with several concurrent diseases. California has experienced an increase in the number of small nontraditional chicken production operations. These facilities are sometimes in close proximity to commercial poultry operations and biosecurity barriers occasionally fail. The poor husbandry practices often used in these small flocks make them a potential reservoir for rare diseases such as trichomoniasis and also for disease organisms that are devastating to commercial poultry.

An outbreak of infectious laryngotracheitis in California broilers.

Infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) was diagnosed as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory disease in broiler chickens in California. The classical form of ILT is characterized by dyspnea, gasping, coughing, and expectoration of bloody exudate. Most of the broilers submitted to the diagnostic laboratory showed a non-classical presentation of ILT, in which mucoid tracheitis and conjunctivitis were the most consistent lesions. Historically, most of the ILT cases diagnosed in our laboratory have consisted of layers with classical signs and lesions. It is not known whether this non classical presentation of ILT in broilers is due to differences in the way broilers respond to ILT infection or to the nature of the ILT virus isolate.

Facial cellulitis associated with fowl cholera in commercial turkeys.

Severe cephalic swelling and facial cellulitis in turkeys associated with fowl cholera were present in seven accessions submitted to two laboratories in a 2-year period. Flocks ranged in age from 6 to 18 weeks and included both toms and hens. Interestingly, turkeys with facial cellulitis had no gross internal lesions of fowl cholera, whereas birds with gross lung, liver, and air-sac lesions did not have swollen heads. Histologically, the facial cellulitis was characterized by extensive fibrinonecrotic inflammation of the deep dermis with heterophilic perivasculitis and thrombosis. Additional characterization of Pasteurella multocida isolates from these cases was conducted retrospectively from lyophilized cultures. Serogrouping, serotyping, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for dermonecrotic factor were performed. All isolates were serogroup A or unencapsulated. Serotype 1 was the most prevalent serotype isolated in association with facial cellulitis. ELISA results for dermonecrotic toxin were inconclusive.

Serotypes of Salmonella isolated from California turkey flocks and their environment in 1984-89 and comparison with human isolates.

Serotypes of Salmonella from turkeys and their environment identified at the California Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System (CVDLS) between 1984 and 1989 are reported. Between 1988 and 1989, Salmonella serotypes from turkeys were compared from two sources: from routine submissions to the CVDLS (primarily associated with the National Poultry Improvement Plan), and from a random sample of turkey farms conducted by the National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS). Serotype isolation frequencies were ver similar under these two systems. Serotypes identified most frequently under both systems were (listed from most to least frequent): Salmonella kentucky, S. anatum, S. heidelberg, S. reading, and S. senftenberg. This isolation pattern was different from that found in humans in California; only S. heidelberg was relatively common in both humans and turkeys during this period.

Mycoplasma bovis associated with decubital abscesses in Holstein calves.

Between April of 1990 and March of 1992, calves on a Holstein calf ranch experienced subcutaneous decubital abscesses involving the brisket region, dorsal aspect of the carpus, and lateral aspect of the stifle joints. Fifty out of 2,500 (2%) Holstein calves between the ages of 3 and 12 weeks were affected. Needle aspirates of brisket abscesses from 8 calves and 6 live or dead calves with 1 or more decubital abscesses were submitted for examination. Two of the 6 calves in addition had bronchopneumonia. Mycoplasma bovis was isolated from all abscesses and 1 lung. Formalin fixed tissues taken from the affected areas also revealed M. bovis by immunoperoxidase staining. No evidence of joint involvement was apparent, and no mycoplasma was isolated from the joints adjacent to affected areas. Attempts to isolate mycoplasma from milk and environmental samples were unsuccessful.

Preliminary characterization of a pleomorphic gram-negative rod associated with avian respiratory disease.

An unidentified, pleomorphic, gram-negative rod (PGNR) bacterium has been isolated from domestic fowl with respiratory disease. The PGNR was isolated in 5% of turkey accessions and 3% of chicken accessions, primarily from the respiratory tract. Preliminary characterization of this organism included reviewing accession records, conducting cultural and biochemical tests, and analyzing cellular fatty acids. The PGNR was also compared with other bacteria capable of inhabiting the avian respiratory system. Biochemical and cellular fatty acid analysis failed to identify the organism, however all 14 isolates were similar.