title: Septicaemic Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae infection in the Little Swift (Apus affinis).
abstract: Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was found to be the causal organism of high mortality in a colony of Little Swifts (Apus affinis (Gray), occupying the vertical walls of high-rise buildings. The mortality continued for a period of about 4 weeks. Negative post-mortem findings necessitated a diagnosis based on bacterial examination during which the causal organism was isolated in pure culture from the liver, spleen and heart blood of affected birds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Medical University of Southern Africa, Medunsa, Republic of South Africa.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Vuuren
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000401:mortality / Q000662:veterinary*; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000401:mortality*; D001717:Birds; D004888:Erysipelothrix / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004889:Erysipelothrix Infections / Q000401:mortality*; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology