Pasteurella anatipestifer-like bacteria associated with respiratory disease in pigeons.
Two cases of respiratory disease in pigeons are described. The first case involved pneumonia and tracheitis, and the second case involved tracheitis. In both cases, unusual gram-negative, non-fermenting, short rod-shaped bacteria were recovered along with other microorganisms. The bacteria produced small, glistening, gray colonies on blood agar, did not grow on MacConkey agar, were unreactive on several biochemical tests, and resembled Pasteurella anatipestifer. Neither pigeon isolate was distinguished from P. anatipestifer by biochemical tests. However, there were morphologic and growth differences between the pigeon isolates and P. anatipestifer. Furthermore, unlike P. anatipestifer, both pigeon isolates were sensitive to aminoglycoside antibiotics and to polymyxin B. Finally, neither isolate was agglutinated by antisera to 15 serotypes of P. anatipestifer. Diagnosticians, especially those who seldom encounter P. anatipestifer, might have difficulty distinguishing the pigeon isolates from P. anatipestifer because of their close resemblance.
Andreasen
J R
JR
Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97339.
Sandhu
T
T
D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D010856:Columbidae; D010325:Pasteurella / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010326:Pasteurella Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014136:Tracheitis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary