Sampling kiwis for mycoplasma infections

Authors: Christensen NH
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 44, Issue 5, pp 200-201, Oct 1996
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Avian, Wildlife
Subject Terms: Biosecurity, Disease surveillance, Bacterial, Disease/defect, Infectious disease, Respiratory system
Article class: Correspondence

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Abstract: The set of animal health conditions under which ratites have been imported into New Zealand from Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom includes the provision that tracheal/ choanal and conjunctival swabs should be examined for the presence of mycoplasmas by culture, and that imported birds should be negative prior to export, and in post-arrival quarantine. Mycoplasma isolates of various species have been recovered from a number of groups of imported ostriches, both in pre-export isolation and in post-arrival quarantine. The rationale underlying the testing of imported birds was to ensure that mycoplasmas capable of infecting ratites were not being imported into New Zealand and placing the kiwi population at risk. As nothing was known of the mycoplasma status of kiwis, sterile swabs (wire perinasal swabs, DIFCO 9344) were collected from the conjunctiva and the trachea or choana…

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