ABSTRACT Caatinga is a biome unique to Brazil, where degradation caused by anthropogenic actions has led to loss of biodiversity and put many species at risk of extinction. The Ceará state is located within the Caatinga and has a rich avifauna. It comprises 433 species, including 13 species that are in danger of extinction, which are found in the Baturité Massif. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and diversity of enterobacteria in wild birds and determine their susceptibility to antimicrobials. Cloacal swab samples were collected from 50 individuals of 28 different species, including the Ceara Gnatheter (Conopophaga cearae) and the Red-necked Tanager (Tangara cyanocephala), which are classified as vulnerable (VU) by the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment. A total of 55 isolates belonging to 14 different species of Enterobacteriaceae were identified. Among them, Pantoea agglomerans and Escherichia coli were the most prevalent species with isolation rates of 36% and 26%, respectively. The highest rate of antimicrobial resistance found was to ampicillin (41.8%), followed by nalidixic acid (36.3%) and amoxicillin associated with clavulanic acid (32.7%). Drugs that presented best efficacy were tobramycin (96.4%), ciprofloxacin (92.6%), and tetracycline (90.9%). Multidrug resistance was observed in 23.5% of the analyzed strains. This research provides important information about the composition of the cloacal microbiota of wild birds in Mulungu, Brazil, as well as their health status. Additionally, these results demonstrate that they harbor multidrug-resistant strains of Enterobacteriaceae.

ABSTRACT The psittacine Pyrrhura griseipectus is a threatened species currently only found in Ceará State, Brazil. A microbiological survey was conducted to determine the composition of the enteric microbiota of this species, as well as the phenotypic profiles of antimicrobial susceptibility presented by the isolates. Cloacal swabs were collected from individual birds and submitted to microbiological processing. Antimicrobial susceptibility profiles were evaluated using the disk diffusion method. Bacteria of the genus Escherichia, Proteus, Citrobacter, Pantoea, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Morganella, Hafnia, Enterobacter, and Serratia were isolated. The most frequently isolated species were Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis and Proteus vulgaris, corresponding to 36.1%, 26.4%, and 8.3%, respectively. Isolates were more frequently resistant to azithromycin and tetracycline, while Escherichia coli was the main species presenting multidrug resistance. In conclusion, free-living grey-breasted parakeets may harbor enterobacteria with high antimicrobial resistance rates.

ABSTRACTSalmonellosis is an infection caused by specific or non specific serotypes of theSalmonella genus, responsible for losses in the poultry industry. Fowl typhoid, caused by S. Gallinarum (SG) is important because it causes elevated mortality in adult birds, leading to economic losses in the poultry industry. This study aimed at quantifying the number of viable SG cells in the liver, spleen, lung, cecum, and reproductive tract (ovary and testicles) of experimentally inoculated Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix), as well as SG shedding in their feces. One hundred and two Japanese quails, with four months of age at the beginning of the experiment, were used. The birds were inoculated with three bacterial cultures containing different concentrations (6x104CFU/0.1mL, 2x105 CFU/0.4mL, or 5x106CFU/0.2mL) of SG resistant to nalidixic acid. On days 1, 4, 7, and 14 after the inoculation (dpi) individual cloacal swabs were collected from six birds per group, which were subsequently sacrificed for organ sampling. The swab samples were streaked directly on plates containing brilliant green agar and nalidixic acid (VBNal). Samples that were negative after 24h, were streaked again. The collected organs were individually macerated and transferred to buffered peptone water at 0.1%. The solutions were immediately diluted serially for CFU counting in VBNal. SG was successfully recovered from one quail, which was inoculated with 2x105 CFU/0.4mL, and from five quails of the group inoculated with 5x106CFU/0.2mL inoculum. All of the analyzed cloacal swab samples were negative. Therefore, this study demonstrated it was difficult to isolate SG from the analyzed organs and that it was not possible to recover thepathogen in the cloacal swabs collected from inoculated quails. These results may be explained by the absence of flagella in SG, inducing weak intestinal immune response in the beginning of the infection and preventing its isolation in cloacal swab samples. The low positivity rate of the analyzed organs may be due to the immune status of the euthanized birds, since the SG dissemination in the animal organism occurs mostly close to death, which was observed in the birds found dead during the experiment.

This study aimed at evaluating bacterial shedding, as detected in swabs, feces, and eggs of quails submitted to forced molting by feed fasting and experimentally infected with a Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) strain. In the experiment, 84 40-week-old Italian female quails were distributed in the following groups: FI (quails induced to molt by fasting and inoculated with Salmonella Enteritidis - SE); CI (quails fed with a laying diet and inoculated with SE); FNI (quails induced to molt by fasting and not inoculated with SE); and CNI (quails fed with a laying feed and not inoculated with SE). Feces, cloacal swabs, and eggs were collected on day 1, 3, 7 and 14 post-inoculation (dpi) and submitted to bacteriological analyses. All samples obtained from cloacal swabs were negative for SE. None of the quails of the non-inoculated groups (FNI and CNI) were positive for SE in the fecal samples. Among the inoculated quails, the FI group presented significantly higher (p< 0.05) SE shedding in the feces on 1 dpi than the CI group. On 4 dpi, no significant difference was observed (p< 0.05) in SE shedding between the inoculated quail groups. On 7 dpi, only the FI group shed SE in the feces, whereas on 14 dpi, none of the groups shed SE. According to the results, we concluded that quails submitted to molting by fasting have higher possibility of shedding SE in the feces.

Two groups of domestic pigeons (Columba livia) were experimentally infected orally with doses of 9.5 x10(7) and 9.5 x10(9) CFU/mL (group A and B, respectively) of a Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) strain isolated from chickens. None of the used doses caused mortality of the inoculated birds; however, the pathogen was successfully recovered from the liver and spleen of group B birds on day 7 post-inoculation (dpi). Pathogen shedding, as evaluated through cloacal swabs, occurred in both groups until the 14th day of observation (p <0.05). Among all fecal samples collected from group B (n=4), three different birds shed the pathogen in their feces, out of which two were positive on 3 dpi and one on 7 dpi. The same number of fecal samples was evaluated in group A and only one bird shed the pathogen, on 7 and 14 dpi. The concentration of the microorganism in the feces was lower in group A than any sample from Group B. Salmonella Enteritidis isolated from chickens, when inoculated in pigeons, may be recovered from feces, cloacal swabs and organs, and these birds may contaminate poultry causing economic losses as well as posing a risk to the public health.

Salmonella Gallinarum is the agent of fowl typhoid in poultry and infects mainly adult galliforms, causing significant economic losses in poultry production. Because quails are susceptible to this disease and quail production is becoming increasingly important in Brazil, this study was carried out to evaluate the virulence of Salmonella Gallinarum strain to quails. The inoculum was prepared from S. Gallinarum strain resistant to nalidixic acid. Forty eight 16-week-old Japanese quails were randomly distributed in three groups. Before the experiment, cloacal swabs were collected from all birds in order to confirm they were free from Salmonella spp. Cloacal swabs and fecal samples were collected on days 03, 06, 09, 12, and 15 post-inoculation. Birds that died during the experiment were submitted to post-mortem examination, and had their organs aseptically collected for bacteriological examination. All eggs produced during the experiment were also examined. The mortality rate recorded during the experiment was 43.75% (21/48). S. Gallinarum was recovered from the organs of the birds that naturally died during the experiment, but the agent was not isolated from the organs of sacrificed birds. No egg sample was positive for Salmonella Gallinarum. It was concluded that S. Gallinarum may be recovered from the organs of experimentally-infected Japanese quails.

The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Salmonella in common quails submitted to forced molting. A total of 240 quails were divided at 40 weeks of age into four groups: CG (control, quails not submitted to molting); FM (fasting method); WM (fed wheat midds ad libitum); and ZM (zinc oxide method). From each group, 10 cloacal swabs, 10 fecal samples, and 20 egg samples were collected before molting (two weeks) and after molting (two weeks). The microbiological procedures for Salmonella spp. identification were performed in four steps. The agglutination test, using somatic and flagellar antigens, was used to confirm Salmonella-suspected colonies. According to the methodology applied, none of the samples was positive for Salmonella spp. The results showed that 20.0% of the egg samples from birds submitted to forced molting were contaminated with enterobacteria. It was concluded that, under the conditions of the present experiment, the stress caused by forced molting did not induce infection by Salmonella spp. or increased Enterobacteriaceae contamination levels in the eggs.

The quail raising in Brazil has increased through the last years and the incubation procedures are important to maintenance and improvement of quail egg production. To obtain a sufficient number of eggs to fill an incubator, eggs are usually accumulated in storage over a period from 1 day up to 3 weeks before incubation. The objective of this research was to verify the effect of egg storage on hatchability and egg weight loss for two lineages of Japanese quails. Sixty four Japanese quails were divided in two groups: G1 (n=32) for meat production and G2 (n=32) for egg production. They were used for serial egg collections that were performed every day, during 15 consecutively days, totaling 600 eggs. After collection they were placed in refrigerated room (20°C and 60% of relative humidity) and submitted to different periods of storage, from 0 day until 14 days, according to their collection day. The incubation occurred at 37.6°C and 60% RH. The weight measurements were done during storage, incubation and hatching. The results showed that for Meat type and Egg type quails, the egg hatchability was around 84% until 10 days of storage, and then this rate decreased significantly. Both types of quail eggs presented similar weight loss during storage and incubation. The research showed that quail eggs present great hatchability until 10 days of storage and that eggs submitted to storage present a reduced weight loss during incubation.

This study aimed at evaluating the alternative method of zinc oxide and fasting to induce molt in Japanese quails. A total number of 190 48-week-old quails was used. They were at end of laying cycle, and presented low egg production. Quails molted by zinc oxide (Z) were fed a diet containing 25,000 ppm of zinc oxide, and received water ad libitum. Quails treated by fasting (F) received no feed and a day of water restriction. The treatment period was determined by the experimental level of body weight loss (BWL). Birds were submitted to different levels of BWL in order to analyze reproductive system regression (ovary + oviduct), and livability. The following groups were established according to their BWL: Control (untreated quails); F25 (25% BWL by F); F35 (35% BWL by F); Z25 (25% BWL by Z), and Z35 (35% BWL by Z). Z25, Z35, and F35 presented no significant differences in reproductive system weights after molting; however, their weights were lower than F. Z, Z, and F presented the following livability: 97.5, 72.5, and 90%. Japanese quails treated by the alternative method of zinc oxide, presenting body weight loss of 25%, showed low mortality rate, and adequate regression of the reproductive organs.

The objective of this research was to isolate and to verify the sensitivity to antimicrobial agents of strains of Salmonella sp. isolated from poultry products in the state of Ceara, Brazil. A total number of 114 samples was collected from 63 broiler carcasses derived from two processing plants and two supermarkets, and 51 excreta samples were collected in broiler farms located in the state of Ceara, which used three live production stages. Each excreta sample consisted of a fresh excreta pool from 100 birds. Samples were submitted to microbiological analyses, and the isolated Salmonella strains were tested for antimicrobial sensitivity. No Salmonella was isolated from excreta samples, while broiler carcass samples showed a high contamination rate of11.8%. Three serotypes were identified: Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis, 50%; Salmonella enterica serovar Panama 33%, and Salmonella enterica serovar Newport, 17%. As to the susceptibility tests to antimicrobial agents, 100% of the isolated Salmonella strains showed resistance to Ampicillin and Tetracycline, and sensitivity to Gentamycin, Netilmycin, Carbenicillin, Chloramphenicol.

The phenomenon of viral interference between live vaccines against Newcastle Disease and infectious bronchitis has been reported since the 50's and many researchers have reported its prejudicial effects on avian immunization. Therefore, this study evaluated the effect of associated vaccines on the interference between Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) in broilers. There were 400 broiler chicks divided into five groups. The groups were submitted to mono or polyvalent vaccinations against IBV and NDV, except for the non-vaccinated control group (CG). Sera were collected at 35 and 45 days of age and submitted to serologic tests to assess antibody levels. It was observed the occurrence of interference in the immune response against NDV by the use of associated vaccines to NDV and IBV; however, the group that was immunized with commercial combined vaccines (IBV+NDV) presented antibody titers to NDV similar to the group that was given only vaccine against NDV. We concluded based on these preliminary studies that the interference of IBV on the immune response against NDV depends also whether the association between the two vaccines is done just before vaccination or in the manufacturing laboratory.