Fatal encephalitis caused by Dactylaria constricta var. gallopava in a snowy owl chick (Nyctea scandiaca)

Dactylaria constricta var. gallopava (Cooke) Salkin et Dixon was found to cause fatal encephalitis in a 28-day-old, captivity-bred snowy owl chick (Nyctea scandiaca). The previously healthy bird suddenly developed ataxia, severe torticollis, and extensor rigidity of the legs. Since the animal did no...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Clinical Microbiology
Main Authors: Salkin, I F, Dixon, D M, Kemna, M E, Danneman, P J, Griffith, J W
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: American Society for Microbiology 1990
Subjects:
Microbiology (medical)
Nyctea scandiaca
snowy owl
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jcm.28.12.2845-2847.1990
https://journals.asm.org/doi/pdf/10.1128/jcm.28.12.2845-2847.1990
Description
Summary:Dactylaria constricta var. gallopava (Cooke) Salkin et Dixon was found to cause fatal encephalitis in a 28-day-old, captivity-bred snowy owl chick (Nyctea scandiaca). The previously healthy bird suddenly developed ataxia, severe torticollis, and extensor rigidity of the legs. Since the animal did not improve with antibiotic or vitamin-mineral supplement therapy, the chick was euthanized 5 days after the onset of neurologic signs. At necropsy, all tissues except the brain were grossly normal. Cultures inoculated with blood from the brain and heart yielded a dematiaceous mould that subsequently proved to be D. constricta var. gallopava. This is the first report of natural central nervous system infection caused by D. constricta var. gallopava in a snowy owl.

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