Cryptosporidiosis in four cockatoos with psittacine beak and feather disease.

Cryptosporidiosis was diagnosed in 4 cockatoos with psittacine beak and feather disease. Three of the birds had cryptosporidiosis confined to the epithelium covering the bursa of Fabricius. One bird had generalized parasitism of the small intestine, large intestine, and bursal epithelium. All of the birds had intermittent to protracted diarrhea before death. Presumably, acquired immunodeficiency from psittacine beak and feather disease promoted establishment of cryptosporidiosis and other secondary diseases including septicemia, peritonitis, chlamydiosis, and mycotic ventriculitis.

A novel DNA virus associated with feather inclusions in psittacine beak and feather disease.

The nature of feather inclusions was characterized in 32 psittacine birds (30 cockatoos, one peach-faced lovebird (Agapornis roseicollis), and one red-lored Amazon parrot (Amazona autumnalis autumnalis] with naturally-acquired psittacine beak and feather disease. Intranuclear inclusions within feather epithelial cells and intracytoplasmic inclusions within macrophages in the feather epithelium and pulp cavity contained psittacine beak and feather disease viral antigen when stained by the avidin-biotin complex immunoperoxidase technique. Ultrastructurally, inclusions were observed primarily within macrophages and to a lesser extent within epithelial cell nuclei. Macrophage inclusions appeared as paracrystalline arrays of viral particles. Intranuclear inclusions were less well defined, although scattered viral particles were present. Intracytoplasmic and intranuclear particles in ultrastructural preparations were identified by colloidal gold labeling as psittacine beak and feather disease virus. Feather epithelium was more frequently and severely involved in the disease process than was adjacent follicular epithelium. Plucked feathers with an intact epidermal collar and feather epithelium were preferred to follicular biopsies for histopathologic examination.

Extracutaneous viral inclusions in psittacine beak and feather disease.

Thirty-five birds that died with naturally acquired psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) were necropsied to identify extracutaneous viral inclusions. Inclusions were found in various tissue sections from 34 of 35 birds. By immunoperoxidase staining, intranuclear and intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies were shown to contain PBFD viral antigen. Inclusion-bearing lesions were widely disseminated but often closely associated with the alimentary tract. Lesions within the palate, esophagus, crop, intestine, bursa of Fabricius, and liver probably serve as sources for viral shedding into the feces.

Turkey heterophil chemotaxis to Pasteurella multocida (serotype 3,4)-generated chemotactic factors.

The purpose of this study was to determine the ability of three strains or isolates of Pasteurella multocida (serotype 3,4) to generate chemotactic factors for heterophils when exposed to pooled turkey serum. Results indicated that each bacterial strain or isolate (M-9, CU, and 86-1913) was associated with the production of chemotactic factors, but the more pathogenic bacterial isolate (86-1913) elicited greater heterophil migration in chemotaxis studies.

Separation of turkey heterophils from blood using two-step Ficoll-Hypaque discontinuous gradients.

A method is presented to separate turkey heterophils from anticoagulated whole blood using two-step Ficoll-Hypaque discontinuous gradients and ammonium chloride lysis of contaminating erythrocytes. Heterophils can be isolated from multiple blood samples within 3 to 4 hours. Using this technique, 66.4 +/- 18.4% (mean +/- standard deviation) of blood heterophils were harvested. Final cell isolates averaged 96.0 +/- 2.9% heterophils with few contaminating eosinophils (2.5 +/- 2.3%) or basophils (1.6 +/- 1.8%). Cell viability, as determined by trypan blue dye exclusion, was 98.0 +/- 1.4%.

Leukocyte function in Pelger-Huët anomaly of dogs.

Leukocyte function was evaluated in five dogs with Pelger-Huët (P-H) anomaly and in five control dogs. No significant differences were found between groups in neutrophil adherence, random movement, chemotaxis, phagocytosis, or bacterial killing of Staphylococcus intermedius. Neutrophils migrated rapidly into inflammatory sites where progressive nuclear lobulation was noted over time. Antibody titers to exogenous antigens were similar in the P-H and control groups indicating B- and T-lymphocyte cooperation in humoral immunity. Lymphocyte blastogenesis to phytohemagglutinin also was similar in both groups suggesting the presence of a responsive T-lymphocyte population. These findings indicate that no apparent predisposition to infection or immunodeficiency exists in dogs with P-H anomaly.

Determination of chicken and turkey plasma and serum protein concentrations by refractometry and the biuret method.

Plasma and serum protein concentrations were determined in chickens and turkeys by refractometry (with human and veterinary refractometers) and by the biuret method. Chicken and turkey serum protein values were significantly lower than respective plasma protein values according to both methods. Refractometer readings for both plasma and serum correlated closely with the results of the biuret test (r2 = 0.72 to 0.97). These findings indicate that plasma and serum protein values may be determined accurately in chickens and turkeys with a handheld refractometer.

Nuclear segmentation, ultrastructure, and cytochemistry of blood cells from dogs with Pelger-Huët anomaly.

Nuclear segmentation, ultrastructural features and cytochemical staining reactions of blood cells from 7 dogs with the heterozygous form of Pelger-Huët (P-H) anomaly were investigated. Significant nuclear hyposegmentation of granulocytes, monocytes and megakaryocytes was found, indicating a common stem cell defect in the nuclear segmentation or lobulation process. Neutrophils and eosinophils from female P-H dogs lacked sex chromatin drumsticks. Other than the suggestion of nuclear hyposegmentation and the presence of coarse heterochromatin, no ultrastructural abnormalities were discerned. Cytochemical staining by a-naphthyl acetate esterase, alkaline phosphatase, naphthol ASD chloroacetate esterase, periodic acid-Schiff, peroxidase and Sudan black B techniques gave similar results for P-H and control dog leukocytes and platelets.

Effects of cyclosporin A administration in cats.

Cyclosporin A was administered orally to 10 cats for 28 consecutive days at a dosage of 20 mg/kg body weight daily divided into 2 equal doses. Serum trough CyA concentrations ranged from 134 to 902 ng/ml with a mean of 567 +/- 249 ng/ml (means +/- SD). Immunosuppression by CyA was suggested in 5 cats by significantly depressed lymphoblast transformation responses. Various hematologic, serum chemical, and urinalysis parameters were monitored on a weekly basis in 10 cats. Serum urea nitrogen concentration increased significantly from baseline values on days 7, 14, and 21, but not on day 28. Urine concentrating ability was unimpaired. Alanine aminotransferase activity was decreased significantly from baseline values at each sample period during CyA administration. Drug-related side effects were minor; one cat developed gingival hypertrophy which regressed within 21 days of CyA withdrawal.