Immunophenotype of the inflammatory response in the central and enteric nervous systems of cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus) experimentally infected with parrot bornavirus 2

Proventricular dilatation disease is a lethal disease of psittacine birds. In this study, we characterized the local cellular immune response in the brain, proventriculus, and small intestine of 27 cockatiels ( Nymphicus hollandicus) experimentally infected with parrot bornavirus 2 (PaBV-2). Perivascular cuffs in the brain were composed of CD3+ T-lymphocytes and Iba1+ macrophages/microglia in most cockatiels (n = 26). In the ganglia of the proventriculus, CD3+ T-lymphocytes (n = 17) and Iba1+ macrophages (n = 13) prevailed. The ganglia of the small intestine had a more homogeneous distribution of these leukocytes, including PAX5+ B-lymphocytes (n = 9), CD3+ T-lymphocytes (n = 8), and Iba1+ macrophages (n = 8). Our results indicate that perivascular cuffs in the brain and the inflammatory infiltrate in the proventriculus of PaBV-2-infected cockatiels is predominately composed of T-lymphocytes, while the inflammatory infiltrates in the ganglia of the small intestine are characterized by a mixed infiltrate composed of T-lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes, and macrophages.

Beurteilung der Haltungsbedingungen von Wellensittichen (Melopsittacus undulatus) und Nymphensittichen (Nymphicus hollandicus) in Deutschland

Zusammenfassung Gegenstand und Ziel Um Einsicht in die Haltungsbedingungen der in Deutschland am häufigsten gehaltenen Ziervogelspezies Wellensittich und Nymphensittich zu erhalten, wurde im Rahmen eines Teilgebiets der EXOPET-Studie eine deutschlandweite Online-Befragung unter nicht gewerbsmäßigen Vogelhaltern durchgeführt. Material und Methoden Die eingegangenen 541 Fragebögen für Wellensittiche und 221 für Nymphensittiche unterlagen zunächst einer deskriptiven Auswertung. Anhand der im Zuge des EXOPET-Projekts von einem Expertengremium erarbeiteten Haltungsvorschläge wurden die Haltungsbedingungen hinsichtlich Vergesellschaftung, Gehegegröße, Einrichtung, Temperatur, UV-Licht sowie Freiflug beurteilt. Ergebnisse Die größten Abweichungen von den Empfehlungen bestanden bei Nymphensittichen wie auch Wellensittichen beim Freiflug (Mängel in 89,3 % bzw. 85,5 % der beurteilten Haltungen). Im Zusammenhang mit einem daraus resultierenden Bewegungsmangel ist die mit 26,4 % von Wellensittichhaltern am häufigsten genannte gesundheitliche Beeinträchtigung Adipositas zu sehen. 82,8 % der Nymphensittiche und 52,2 % der Wellensittiche wurden zudem in zu kleinen Käfigen bzw. Volieren gehalten. Die Möglichkeit des täglichen Freiflugs für ihre Vögel gaben 73,1 % bzw. 73,3 % der Wellensittich- und Nymphensittichhalter an. So erhielten 48,3 % der Wellensittiche und 34,0 % der Nymphensittiche pro Tag mindestens 12 Stunden Freiflug. Weitere beträchtliche Mängel waren im Bereich der Einrichtung festzustellen: Abweichungen von den Empfehlungen zeigten sich bei 77,8 % der Wellensittich- und 69,0 % der Nymphensittichhaltungen. Schlussfolgerung Um die mitunter besorgniserregenden Defizite in der Haltung von Wellensittichen und Nymphensittichen zu verbessern, bedarf es insbesondere einer Verbesserung der Halterkompetenz. Es erscheint zwingend notwendig, dem Tierhalter standardisierte Informationen zu der von ihm gehaltenen Spezies und zu deren individuellen Haltungsansprüchen an die Hand zu geben.

Identification of Campylobacter jejuni and Chlamydia psittaci from cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus) using metagenomics

Background In July 2015, the carcasses of 11 cockatiels were submitted for disease diagnosis to the Avian Disease Division of the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency of Korea. The cockatiels, which appeared dehydrated and underweight, had exhibited severe diarrhea and 22 % mortality over 2 weeks. Traditional diagnosis did not reveal the causes of these symptoms. Methods We conducted metagenomics analysis on intestines and livers from the dead cockatiels using Illumina high-throughput sequencing. To obtain more accurate and longer contigs, which are required for further genetic characterization, we compared the results of three de novo assembly tools (metaSPAdes, MEGAHIT, and IDBA-UD). Results Sequence reads of Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) and Chlamydia psittaci (C. psittaci) were present in most of the cockatiel samples. Either of these bacteria could cause the reported symptoms in psittaciformes. metaSPAdes (ver.3.14.1) identified the 1152 bp flaA gene of C. jejuni and the 1096 bp ompA gene of C. psittaci. Genetic analysis revealed that flaA of C. jejuni was recombinant between C. jejuni and Campylobacter coli, and that ompA of C. psittaci isolated from cockatiel was closely related to strains isolated from humans. Conclusions C. jejuni and C. psittaci were detected in cockatiels in the Republic of Korea using metagenomic analysis. This approach is useful for understanding pathogens of pet birds. Three de novo assemblers were compared to obtain accurate contigs from large quantities of reads, and sequences of C. jejuni and C. psittaci generated by metaSPAdes were analyzed.

Ingluviotomia para remoção de corpo estranho em calopsita doméstica (Nymphicus hollandicus). Relato de caso

As aves apresentam anatomia e fisiologia únicas. Seu sistema digestório é composto por esôfago, estômago (proventrículo e ventrículo), intestino delgado e intestino grosso. O esôfago apresenta uma dilatação chamada de inglúvio na maioria das aves, que armazena alimentos. Lesões e massas nesses locais ocorrem por diversos motivos, provocando dificuldades alimentares e emagrecimento. A ingestão de substâncias inadequadas pode formar uma massa, repousar no papo e gerar possível intoxicação. O objetivo do trabalho foi descrever um caso de ingluviotomia decorrente de ingestão de corpo estranho em calopsita (Nymphicus hollandicus). A ingluviotomia é um procedimento cirúrgico de urgência, podendo ser optado para a remoção de corpo estranho no inglúvio, sendo que a resolução cirúrgica do problema e a recuperação clínica ocorre sem maiores problemas desde que empregada um conduta clínico-cirúrgica adequada.

Alimentary squamous cell carcinoma in psittacines: 12 cases and review of the literature

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), which is a neoplasm that usually arises from the integument, is reported uncommonly in pet birds. Only a few reports of SCCs in the alimentary tract of birds, including psittacines, have been published, and a detailed description of the pathology is not available in the literature. We present here 12 cases of alimentary SCC in psittacines. The average age of the birds was 22.2 y (range: 15–29 y), and affected species included 4 Amazon parrots ( Amazona sp.), 3 cockatiels ( Nymphicus hollandicus), 3 macaws ( Ara sp.), 1 conure ( Eupsittula sp.), and 1 Senegal parrot ( Poicephalus sp.). Frequent clinical complaints included regurgitation, dysphagia, dyspnea, lethargy, and/or weight loss. SCC primarily affected the oral cavity in 6 of 12 cases, the crop alone in 2 of 12 cases, the crop and esophagus in 1 of 12 cases, the proventriculus alone in 1 of 12 cases, and the crop, esophagus, and proventriculus in 2 of 12 cases. Histologically, alimentary SCCs were locally invasive and often resulted in mucosal ulceration. Although there were no metastases in any of our cases, poor clinical outcomes were frequent and associated most commonly with complete effacement of the alimentary segment and severe inflammation with opportunistic bacterial infection. Our review of the literature records commonly affected species, variability of gross presentations and clinical signs, plausible etiologies, and current diagnostic developments.

Identification of Campylobacter Jejuni and Chlamydia Psittaci From cockatiel (Nymphicus Hollandicus) Using Metagenomics

BackgroundIn July 2015, the carcasses of 11 cockatiels were submitted for disease diagnosis to the Avian Disease Division of the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency of Korea. The cockatiels, which appeared dehydrated and underweight, had exhibited severe diarrhea and 22% mortality over 2 weeks. Traditional diagnosis did not reveal the causes of these symptoms. MethodsWe conducted metagenomics analysis on intestines and livers from the dead cockatiels using Illumina high-throughput sequencing. To obtain more accurate and longer contigs, which are required for further genetic characterization, we compared the results of three de novo assembly tools (metaSPAdes, MEGAHIT, and IDBA-UD).ResultsSequence reads of Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) and Chlamydia psittaci (C. psittaci) were present in most of the cockatiel samples. Either of these bacteria could cause the reported symptoms in psittaciformes. metaSPAdes (ver.3.14.1) identified the 1152 bp flaA gene of C. jejuni and the 1096 bp ompA gene of C. psittaci. Genetic analysis revealed that flaA of C. jejuni was recombinant between C. jejuni and Campylobacter coli, and that ompA of C. psittaci isolated from cockatiel was closely related to strains isolated from humans. ConclusionC. jejuni and C. psittaci were detected in cockatiels in the Republic of Korea using metagenomic analysis. This approach is useful for understanding pathogens of pet birds. Three de novo assemblers were compared to obtain accurate contigs from large quantities of reads, and sequences of C. jejuni and C. psittaci generated by metaSPAdes were analyzed.