Summary A 4‐month‐old female domestic shorthair cat was infected by a virus of the Poxvirus family. The animal developed a severe pneumonia and generalized ulcerating lesions of the skin. Histologically, typical eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies indicative of an Orthopoxvirus (OPV) infection were present. The lung showed grey‐white to haemorrhagic nodular lesions with a central zone of complete necrosis of alveolar and bronchial tissue. Electron microscopy from skin and lung nodules revealed typical square‐shaped OPV particles. Cultivation of the virus on chorio‐allantoic membranes of embryonated chicken eggs resulted in haemorrhagic plaques. Restriction enzyme analysis, PCR and sequencing of the D8L gene identified the OPV isolate as a typical Cowpox virus . It was transmitted by the cat to a human contact person who developed a local nodular dermatitis at the inoculation site in association with signs of general infection and had an increase of OPV‐specific neutralizing antibodies in paired serum samples.
This report describes a case of gingival fibromatosis in an otherwise healthy and well nourished wild European red fox (Vulpes vulpes), which was shot by a hunter and submitted to the state laboratory in the context of the rabies monitoring program of the federal state of Brandenburg, Germany. At necropsy, a severe papillomatous proliferation of the complete gingival tissue of the upper and lower jaw was present. This gingival proliferation had already resulted in malocclusion, loosening and loss of several incisival, premolar and molar teeth. Histologically, the primary lesion was a massive increase in the amount of collagen rich and relatively avascular connective tissue within the gingival lamina propria mucosae. A papillomavirus infection was excluded by electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry and molecular biological methods. The gingival lesions in the red fox are identical to those seen in hereditary hyperplastic gingivitis in farmed silver foxes and hereditary gingival fibromatosis in man. It is presumed that, in analogy to the genetic diseases in silver foxes and man, a still unidentified genetic defect is responsible for the development of the disease in the red fox, too.
A four years old Red-crested turaco (Tauraco erythrolophus) was found apathetic sitting on the ground of the aviary and died during the clinical examination. Necropsy of the emaciated bird revealed multiple granulomas within the body cavity and inner organs. Histopathological examinations of these granulomas showed epitheloid macrophages and central necrosis demarcated by giant cells. Using Ziehl-Neelsen staining, massive accumulations of acid-fast bacteria were found within the lesions and the preliminary diagnosis “avian tuberculosis” was made. This infectious disease is mainly caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium (Maa) or M. genavense (Mg). However, microbiological culture followed by PCR revealed the occurrence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis (Mah). The isolate was assigned to INMV profile 51, which has been described in Asia and Europe mainly in humans, as well as in pigs and cattle until now. When infected birds have intensive contact with humans, a risk assessment must be carried out based on the identity of the causative pathogen. For this purpose, the determination of the species and if applicable the subspecies is mandatory and an additional molecular typing, e.g. by INMV profiling, helpful.
