Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection, serogroup O:1a, in two Amazon Parrots (Amazona aestiva – Amazona oratrix ) and its relationship with high iron levels in liver.

Abstract

Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection, serogroup O:1a, in two Amazon Parrots (Amazona aestiva – Amazona oratrix ) and its relationship with high iron levels in liver. Livio Galosi1, Silvana Farneti2, Giacomo Rossi1, Susan Cork3, Stefano Ferraro4, Gian Enrico Magi1, Silvia Scarpona1, Stefano Petrini2, Andrea Valiani2, Vincenzo Cuteri1, Anna Rita Attili1 1 Scuola di Bioscienze e Medicina Veterinaria, Polo di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Camerino, Matelica (MC), Italy 2 Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Umbria e Marche, Perugia, Italy 3 Department of Ecosystem & Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada 4 Scuola di Scienze e Tecnologia, Sezione di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Camerino, Camerino (MC), Italy On two died Amazon Parrots (Amazona aestiva and Amazona oratrix) that had shown depressed sensorium, ruffled feathers, biliverdin in the urine and diarrhea, necropsy and bacteriological analysis were carried out. Macroscopic and microscopic examinations revealed multifocal necrosis in liver, spleen, lungs, kidney, gut and heart caused by acute bacteremia. Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, serogroup O:1a, was isolated from the visceral lesions. Virulence gene analysis showed the presence of inv gene and the complete pathogenicity island: IS100, psn, yptE, irp1, irp2 ybtP-ybtQ, ybtX-ybtS, int asnT-Int. Histopathological findings and chemical analysis also reflected an excess of iron accumulation in liver. The relation between iron accumulation and systemic Pseudotuberculosis has been demonstrated in human medicine and in other species of birds. This work highlights also this relationship in Amazon Parrots