Association of Avian Veterinarians

Use of EM Services for Monitoring C. psittaci in an AviaryAuthor(s): Isabel TaylorSource: AAV Today, Vol. 1, No. 2 (Spring, 1987), p. 59Published by: Association of Avian VeterinariansStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/30134366 .

Accessed: 14/06/2014 02:16

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

.

Association of Avian Veterinarians is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to AAVToday.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 194.29.185.230 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 02:16:10 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

Aviculture Medicine'

Use of EM Services for Monitoring C. psittaci in an Aviary

From my viewpoint, using electronmicroscopic (EM) services for the detection of C. psittaci in my aviary has produced apparently reliable results. I now use this as a screening method for all new birds and for evaluating necropsy tissues, including those of hatchling early deaths or dead in shell.

With EM, C. psittaci has been identified in postmortem tissues of neonates, even when a similar evaluation of droppings from the parent birds was found free of the organism. For example, a pair of Goffin Cockatoos was determined to be "negative" for C. psittaci based on EM examination of a fecal congregate collected daily over a two week period. When one of their hatchlings died at 2 days of age and the EM diagnosis was "positive" for C. psittaci, I decided to recheck the parent birds. This time, I collected fecal samples twice a day for a three week period for submission, and a positive was found. Thus it appears that submission of a significant volume of feces collected over an extended time period increases the probability of finding C. psittaci in suspected birds. Perhaps it is also significant that samples were included from both morning and evening droppings since little seems to be known about the shedding interval.

In another instance, one of a clutch of three Red-bellied Parrots died at four days of age and was necropsied with no visible lesions; the EM diagnosis was positive for C. psittaci. The parents had previously been negative by serological testing and EM.

I have also used the EM services to monitor birds during treatment for chlamydiosis with a number of different drug formulations. Two clutchmates of the Red-bellied Parrot that died were treated for 45

days with doxycycline syrup (Vibramycin - Pfizer) and C. psittaci were still found following the therapy. In another case, four African Greys (with EM detection of C. psittaci in the droppings) were treated for 45 days with a doxycycline-medicated formulated diet, but the results were also "positive" following the treatment. The EM results came back negative only after the flock had been treated experimentally with the European formulation of doxycycline.

I monitored the African Greys during this experimental treatment by collecting droppings from each individual bird at 24 hour intervals following the initial injection. It is interesting to note that although the birds were negative at 24 hours following the treatment and from 72 hours on, 3 of the 4 birds were shedding the C. psittaci organism 48 hours post injection.

I continue to submit samples on a routine basis but it has been months since I have had a positive C. psittaci finding. - Isabel Taylor, Salada Psittacines, Saluda, North Carolina

Research Report Artificial Lighting and Vitamin D Synthesis in Birds

Artificial lights are commonly used by zoos and aviculturists to promote the health of birds housed indoors. Aside from photo-periodic effects, the only proven benefit of artificial lights is for vitamin D synthesis. In order for vitamin D synthesis to occur, irradiative exposure must be between 285 - 315 nm. Most artificial lights do not emit significant radiation in this range.

A study conducted by student researcher Joni Bernard and me at the Chicago Zoological Park

investigated the effects of different artificial lights on vitamin D synthesis in chicks. Twelve each day-old broiler chicks were assigned to each of the following treatment groups:

Group 1 . . . 400 IU vitamin D3 per Kg of diet (2 x NRC recommendation).

Group 2... 100 IU vitamin D3, per Kg of diet (0.5 x NRC recommendation).

Group 3 . . . Control. O vitamin D3. Group 4 . . . Exposure to a Vita-lited

(Durolite Corp) 12 hours per day. O vitamin D,.

Group 5 . . . Exposure to a 275 watt sun lamp for 15 minutes twice daily. 0 vitamin D,.

Group 6... Exposure to a black light for 15 minutes twice daily. O vitamin D,.

All groups were continuously exposed to cool white fluorescent lights and maintained on treatment for 7 weeks. Growth rate, toe ash, tibia ash, rib score (based on beading), beak flexibility, and radiographs were used to assess vitamin D status.

Groups 1, 2, and 5 performed similarly and had the greater weight gains and the highest toe and tibia ash percentages. None of the birds in these groups showed beading of the ribs, flexible beaks, or other manifestations of vitamin D deficiency.

Groups 3 and 6 performed similarly and had weight gains and ash percentages below those observed for Group 1, 2, and 5. Most of the birds showed beading of the ribs, flexible beaks, and reduced radiographic bone density.

Group 4 showed the lowest weight gain, lowest toe and tibia ash, poorest rib score, and greatest beak flexibility. All birds became lethargic and displayed obvious signs of vitamin D deficiency.

VOL. 1 NO. 2 1987 59

This content downloaded from 194.29.185.230 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 02:16:10 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions