Equine pulmonary mycosis due to Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus stolonifer

Invasive pulmonary mycosis caused by Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus stolonifer is reported in a 2-year-old horse, one of three that died after being housed in a disused, uncleaned stable. Lesions were characterized by thrombosis of the blood vessels with haemorrhage and tissue necrosis. Fungal hyphae were observed both in thrombosed vessels and in adjacent necrotic tissue. In culture media inoculated with lung samples and samples from the bedding hay, two types of colony were recorded and identified as A. niger and R. stolonifer. This study is the first description of equine pulmonary mucormycosis and of A. niger as an aetiological agent in the horse.

Serological survey for avian paramyxoviruses from wildfowl in aquatic habitats in Andalusia

A serological survey for a range of avian paramyxoviruses (PMV) was carried out among wildfowl from southern Spain, 1990 to 1992, using the hemagglutination inhibition technique. We collected 579 sera from 24 avian families (18 aquatic and six non-aquatic). Antibodies were detected to all paramyxoviruses in waterfowl, with a notable prevalence of antibodies to PMV-8 (43%) and to a lesser extent PMV-6 (21%). By contrast, in non-aquatic species high antibody prevalences were detected only to PMV-2 (60%), particularly in sparrows (68%), while antibody prevalences to other PMV's were moderate or low.

Susceptibility of Streptococcus suis to various antimicrobial agents

A study was performed to determine the susceptibility of 59 S. suis strains, isolated from sick and healthy carrier swine, to a range of antimicrobial agents. The beta-lactamic group proved more active both in Kirby-Bauer and MCI tests. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole emerged as an alternative drug in chemoprevention and treatment of S. suis infections.

Prevalence of antibodies to different Leptospira interrogans serovars in pigs on large farms

A seroepidemiological survey was carried out in the province of Badajoz (south-western Spain) in order to determine the presence and spread of Leptospira interrogans. The 521 sera tested were drawn from breeding sows on 28 large farms (15 with fewer than 60 and 13 with over 60 breeders). Immunological testing was performed using the Martin-Pettit micro-agglutination technique. Pigs with titres equal to or greater than 1:100 were considered positive. Haemolysed and/or contaminated test sera were reprocessed following filter-paper treatment. A total of 10.56% of pigs tested proved positive, 39.28% of farms being affected. The following L. interrogans serovars were detected: pomona (6.53%), castellonis (1.15%), sejroe (1.15%), grippotyphosa (0.96%), australis (0.38%), hebdomadis (0.19%) and icterohaemorrhagiae (0.19%).

Serological survey of infections in waterfowl in the Guadalquivir marshes (Spain)

A serological survey was performed in the Guadalquivir Marshes (Southern Spain) in order to determine the presence and diffusion of six infective agents in wild waterfowl. The analysis covered 712 waterfowl from 13 species belonging to five taxa (Podicipediformes, Ciconiiformes, Anseriformes, Gruiformes, and Charadriiformes). A range of immunological techniques led to detection of antibodies against the six infective agents studied: Chlamydia psittaci (13.3%), Mycoplasma anatis (3.5%), Pasteurella anatipestifer (2.9%), duck plague virus (1.6%), Aspergillus fumigatus (1.1%), and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) (0.2%). The survey results indicated that these infective agents exist and circulate among wild waterfowl in the Guadalquivir Marshes.