MELIOIDOSIS IN WALLABIES

This paper records 2 fatal cases of melioidosis in wallabies from Australia maintained in the Botanical Gardens, Penang, for about 3 months. The nature of lesions described is different from that described by various workers.     

BOVINE MELIOIDOSIS IN SOUTH-EASTERN QUEENSLAND

Acute fatal infection with Pseudomonas pseudomallei caused pneumonia, placentitis and endometritis in a pregnant cow. Pneumonia was also present in the foetal lung. Mononuclear cell response with extensive karyorrhexis occurred in maternal and foetal lung and the same cellular pathology, but with diffuse distribution, was responsible for plaques on the endometrium. A more chronic disease with encapsulated caseous lesions in the lung, together with arthritis, occurred in a bull on the same property. Nutritional and physical stress caused by a flood were thought to be predisposing factors. An unusually wet summer with prolonged flooding apparently provided suitable environmental conditions for saprophytic growth of Ps. pseudomallei in an area far south of the region in which infection of animals with this organism commonly occur.     

MELIOIDOSIS IN A GALAH (CACATUA ROSEICAPILLA)

A second case of a natural infection of melioidosis in a native bird is described. Pseudomonas pseudomallei was isolated in pure culture from the liver, spleen and intestinal contents of a galah (Cacatua roseicapilla). The case was characterised by focal granuloma formation, often associated with necrosis, in the brain, lungs, liver, spleen and kidneys.     

CASEOUS LYMPHADENITIS IN GOATS

SUMMARY Two dairy goat stud herds were surveyed for Corynebacterium ovis infection by clinical examination and serum tests using both the haemolysis inhibition and double immunodiffusion techniques for detection of C. ovis antitoxin. In one herd, of 53 goats, 11 had abscesses from which C. ovis was recorded; 33 and 29 goats were positive to the haemolysis inhibition and double immunodiffusion tests respectively. Serums from 10 and 9 of 23 kids gave reactions positive to the respective tests with 19 of the 23 kids having been born to does with demonstrable antibody. In a second herd of 57 goats 16 had superficial abscesses containing C. ovis ; serums from 34 and 45 goats gave positive reactions to the haemolysis inhibition and double immunodiffusion tests respectively. The prevalence of caseous lymphadenitis in these stud herds was a cause of economic loss to the owners through euthanasia of severely affected goats, reduced milk production and emaciation, the cost of labour and drugs for treatment, jeopardisation of income from boarding or mating with outside stock and the appearance of goats at stud shows, and sale of valuable breeding stock to local and export markets.     

SALMONELLOSIS IN TRANSPORTED FERAL GOATS

SUMMARY: An outbreak of acute diarrhoea and deaths was investigated in a group of 1,016 feral goats of varying ages, on a 400 hectare Gippsland pine plantation. The goats had recently been captured in north western New South Wales and transported by truck to Melbourne, Victoria, a journey of 20 to 25 hours, and maintained in holding yards for up to 10 days. They were then transported for a further 3 hours, and released in the Gippsland plantation. Within 1 to 2 weeks of release many goats developed acute, severe diarrhoea, weakness and recumbency. Thirty-eight percent of all goats died in the first 2 months on the farm. Autopsy findings were characteristic of salmonellosis in 13 (43%) of the 30 goats examined and Salmonella sp were cultured from these and one other goat (47%). Four different serotypes of Salmonella were represented (S. adelaide, S. typhimurium, S. muenchen, S. singapore) . The findings support the view that stress due to transport and intensive handling caused carriers of Salmonella to develop into active excretors with high cross infection to susceptible goats.