Investigation of many bacterial and viral infections circulating in pigeons showing nervous symptoms

Abstract

Pigeon's flocks have shown several neurological symptoms including circling, torticollis, tremors, paralysis, which caused suspicion for viral or bacterial natural infections. Pigeon paramyxovirus type-1 (PPMV-1) is a notifiable disease-causing high morbidity and mortality with severe nervous symptoms. Clinical represented tissue specimens were collected from 50 infected pigeon flocks in eight governorates. All samples were examined bacteriologically (isolation, identification and serotyping) for E. coli, Salmonella spp., S. aureus and pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) was accomplished for all isolates using a disk-diffusion test. For viral identification, RT-PCR specific oligonucleotide primers were used for distinguishing of Avian influenza virus, PPMV-1 and PPMV-3. Neurological manifestations were observed in pigeon's flocks mainly in winter and autumn. The mortality rate in eight governorates was about 50% in 10 flocks and other houses mortality rate was ranged from 10 to 20%. Post mortem examination have shown hemorrhagic enteritis, soft and friable brain tissues and/or hemorrhages. The percentage of isolated bacteria E. coli, Salmonella spp., S. aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were 75%, 75%, 50% and 18.75%; respectively. The antibiotic resistance pattern for bacterial isolates showed resist to ampicillin, amoxicillin- clavulinic acid, teteracyclin, ceftriaxone, doxycycline, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim and ceftazidine with different result for each type of bacteria, while Salmonella spp., isolates showed only a highly intermediate result for ciprofloxacin. Eight samples are positive with 16% to PPMV-1. Also, sample No.5,6,9 was co-infected with different types of bacterial isolates in addition to NDV. In conclusion, we reported several neurological symptoms in pigeon's flocks mainly of bacterial infections (E. coli, Salmonella spp., S. aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa).