Edwardsiella tarda outbreak affecting fishes and aquatic birds in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Edwardsiella tarda infections are frequent causes of severe outbreaks in the fish farming industry besides representing possible zoonotic risks. However, naturally occurring outbreaks that affect various species besides fishes are seldom described. AIM: To report an outbreak of acute mortality caused by E. tarda affecting multiple species that inhabited a natural pond in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three adult tilapias, three Mallard ducks and one Snow egret were necropsied and subjected to further microbiological tests. Gross and microscopic lesions were documented. The antibiotic susceptibility and phylogenetic similarities among fish and avian strains were also determined. The E. tarda species was confirmed through MALDI-TOF, partial sodB sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. RESULTS: Macroscopical findings between the three species included intestinal dilatation, mucosal hyperaemia and mucous to liquid contents. Common histopathology findings included acute enteritis, increased number of intraepithelial lymphocytes with bacteria adhered to the intestinal epithelium and lymphoid depletion in the spleen. E. tarda was isolated from several organs from all affected species. The phylogeny employing amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) of eleven strains revealed high similarity (>90%) among the isolates regardless of the affected species or sampled organs. Ten isolates of E. tarda showed susceptibility to all tested antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: E. tarda was identified as the cause of death of the species examined. Further studies would be necessary to determine the virulence of these strains and the possible risks regarding public health.

A Survey for Escherichia coli Virulence Factors in Asymptomatic Free-Ranging Parrots.

Parrots in captivity are frequently affected by Escherichia coli (E. coli) infections. The objective of this study was to collect information on the carrier state for E. coli pathotypes in asymptomatic free-ranging parrots. Cloacal swabs were collected from nestlings of Hyacinth, Lear's macaws and Blue-fronted Amazon parrots and tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for virulence factors commonly found in enteropathogenic, avian pathogenic, and uropathogenic E. coli strains. In total, 44 samples were cultured and E. coli isolates were yielded, from which DNA was extracted and processed by PCR. Genes commonly found in APEC isolates from Blue-fronted Amazon parrots and Hyacinth macaws were expressed in 14 of these 44 samples. One atypical EPEC isolate was obtained from a sample from Lear's macaw. The most commonly found gene was the increased serum survival (iss) gene. This is the first report, that describes such pathotypes in asymptomatic free-living parrots. The findings of this study suggest the presence of a stable host/parasite relationship at the time of the sampling brings a new understanding to the role that E. coli plays in captive and wild parrots. Such information can be used to improve husbandry protocols as well as help conservation efforts of free-living populations.