Endogenous lipid pneumonia associated with atherosclerosis in a blue-fronted Amazon parrot (Amazona aestiva).

Endogenous lipid pneumonia is a rare inflammatory, non-infectious lung disease characterized by the accumulation of endogenous lipids in alveolar macrophages. It has been associated with bronchial obstruction, chronic lung inflammation, alveolar proteinosis and lipid storage disorders. A 14-year-old female blue-fronted Amazon parrot (Amazona aestiva) presented with intermittent dyspnoea, neurological signs and persistent lipaemia of unknown aetiology. At necropsy, the most relevant gross findings were increased rigidity of the great vessels, lungs with diffuse grey to whitish discolouration of the parenchyma and multifocal small yellowish nodules. Microscopic examination revealed typical lesions of atherosclerosis and severe multifocal accumulation of foamy macrophages filling the parabronchi, which led to a diagnosis of endogenous lipid pneumonia. Although the relationship between dyslipidaemia, atherosclerosis and endogenous lipid pneumonia in birds is not well established, the chronic dyslipidaemia of unknown origin could be involved in the pathogenesis of both the atherosclerosis and the endogenous lipid pneumonia. The present case highlights the need to better understand the relationships between various disorders of lipid metabolism in psittacine birds.

Draft Genome Sequence of Bordetella avium Nh1210, an Outbreak Strain of Lockjaw Syndrome.

Bordetella avium is a highly contagious bacterium that infects the upper respiratory tract of birds. B. avium Nh1210 is an outbreak strain of lockjaw syndrome in juvenile cockatiel chicks (Nymphicus hollandicus). Here, we report the draft genome sequence of strain Nh1210.

Fatal Human herpesvirus 1 (HHV-1) infection in captive marmosets (Callithrix jacchus and Callithrix penicillata) in Brazil: clinical and pathological characterization / Infecção fatal por Herpesvirus simplex Tipo 1 (HHV-1) em saguis de cativeiro (Callithrix jacchus and Callithrix penicillata) no Brasil: caracterização clínica e patológica

Fatal Human herpesvirus 1 (HHV-1) was diagnosed in 12 captive marmosets (Callithrix jacchus and Callithrix penicillata) from metropolitan region of São Paulo, São Paulo State. Clinical signs were variable among the cases, but most affected marmosets presented signs associated with viral epithelial replication: oral, lingual and facial skin ulcers and hypersalivation, and viral replication in the central nervous system: prostration, seizure and aggressive behavior. Consistent microscopic findings were diffuse mild to severe nonsuppurative necrotizing meningoencephalitis with gliosis, vasculitis and neuronal necrosis. Additionally, in the brain, oral cavity, skin, adrenal gland and myoenteric plexus intranuclear inclusion bodies were present. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the presence of the HHV-1 antigen in association with lesions in the brain, oral and lingual mucosa, facial skin, adrenal gland and myoenteric plexus. HHV-1-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of the brain was carried out and the virus was detected in 7/8 infected marmosets. It is concluded that HHV-1 causes widespread fatal infection in marmosets.(AU)

Infecção fatal por Herpesvirus simplex Tipo 1 (HHV-1) foi diagnosticada em 12 saguis de cativeiro (Callithrix jacchus e Callithrix penicillata) provenientes da região metropolitana de São Paulo, Estado de São Paulo. Os sinais clínicos foram variáveis entres os casos, no entanto, a maioria dos saguis afetados apresentavam sinais associados à replicação viral em epitélios: úlceras na cavidade oral, língua e pele da face e hipersalivação; e no sistema nervoso central: prostração, convulsão e comportamento agressivo. Histologicamente, o principal achado foi meningoencefalite necrosante não supurativa difusa, leve a acentuada com gliose, vasculite e necrose neuronal. Inclusões intranucleares também foram observadas em encéfalo, cavidade oral, pele, glândula adrenal e plexo mioentérico. A imuno-histoquímica anti-HHV-1 confirmou a presença do antígeno viral em associação às lesões em encéfalo, mucosa oral e lingual, pele da face, glândula adrenal e plexo mioentérico. Em 7/8 saguis infectados foi detectada a presença de HHV-1 por reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR) a partir de amostras de encéfalo. Conclui-se que HHV-1 causa uma infecção disseminada e fatal em saguis.(AU)