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Acute typhlohepatitis was diagnosed in two juvenile ostriches (Struthio camelus). Gross pathology and histologic examination revealed a striking resemblance with histomoniasis in Galliformes.
The primary structures of the alpha A- und beta-chains from the major hemoglobin component of the Ostrich (Struthio camelus) and American Rhea (Rhea americana) are given. The minor component with the alpha D-chains was detected in Ostrich in several concentrations, in American Rhea as in chicken and pheasant (about 40%). By homologous comparison, Greylag Goose (Anser anser) hemoglobin and Ostrich alpha A-chains differ by 15 amino acids or 16 nucleotide (1 two-point mutation) exchanges, beta-chains by 4 exchanges. Four substitutions modify alpha 1 beta 1-contacts and one phosphate contact. American Rhea and Greylag Goose hemoglobin alpha A-chains differ by 20 amino acids or 23 nucleotides (3 two-point mutations), beta-chains by 4 exchanges. Two substitutions modify alpha 1 beta 1-contacts, one phosphate contact and one heme contact. Oxygen affinity of three hemoglobin components of Ostrich are measured and the results are discussed. Systematic and evolution of Ostrich and American Rhea are discussed.
The African ostrich (Struthio camelus) is different from other birds not only because it is a running bird (Ratitae), but also because it urinates and the male bird has a penis. On a specialized farm in Israel the sexual behaviour of ostriches was studied. Courtship behaviour and mating have a very refined pattern. The copulation, which starts with an immission of the penis and ends with an orgasm, lasts about one minute. Most of the copulations take place during the morning morning hours. Occasionally, female ostriches demonstrate courtship behaviour to other females. Sometimes female ostriches mount other females as in the case of copulation.
Ostriches (Struthio camelus) (n=90) were dissected and the musculature of part of the proximal pelvic limb examined. Graphical representation of these muscles are presented. It is evident that the anatomy of the hip and thigh of the ostrich is typically avian, but with only the M. iliofemoralis present. The M. iliotrochantericus medius is not found in ostriches, but both the M. iliofemoralis externus and M. iliofemoralis internus, as well as both parts of the M. flexor cruris lateralis and the M. ambiens are presnet in ostriches. The ambiens muscle, responsible for the automatic grasping action in birds, originates from the preacetabular lateral surface of the ilium. The insertion of this muscle is, as in other birds, via a long tendon on the head of the M. flexor digitorum magnus. A pectineus muscle is present in ostriches. The Mm. femorotibiales consists of 4 muscles, inclusive of the M. femorotibialis accessorius.
An adenovirus was isolated from the pancreas, kidney, and lung of a dead 4-month-old ostrich (Struthio camelus). Experimental infection of week-old guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) was carried out in order to study transmission. Of the infected keets, six out of 15 died; these exhibited pancreatitis, presence of a hemorrhagic liquid in the abdominal cavity, kidney degeneration, and pulmonary lesions. The remaining birds, euthanatized on day 21 postinoculation, showed chronic pancreatitis. The virus was reisolated from the pancreas, lung, and kidney of the infected keets.
Post mortem examination of ostrich chicks (Struthio camelus) originating from a flock with a high mortality rate is described. The main pathological lesions found, indicated colibacillosis which was further corroborated by the isolation of pure culture E. coli. Furthermore Chlamydia spp. was isolated for the first time from ostriches. A detailed isolation procedure is presented. The association of colibacillosis with Chlamydia and the latency of Chlamydia is discussed.
Paramyxovirus serotype 7 (PMV-7) was isolated from pooled intestinal contents of two 5-month-old ostriches (Struthio camelus). The pathogenicity of the virus was comparable with lentogenic strains of Newcastle disease virus (PMV-1) in chicken and chicken embryo pathogenicity tests. The relationship of the virus to the observed pathology of proliferative nonsuppurative enteritis is unknown; the Campylobacter jejuni isolated was presumably the primary pathogen. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an isolation of PMV-7 from ostriches.
Impaction of the proventriculus, gizzard, and sometimes intestines due to sand was confirmed at postmortem in 25 cases involving ostriches (Struthio camelus). Although there was no age predisposition, impaction was more common in juvenile over 3 mo old. Clinical signs included sternal recumbency, outstretched neck, debility, and inability to stand. Palpation of the impacted stomachs gave a gritty sensation. Depletion of coronary fat was a consistent postmortem finding. The most common material causing impaction was sand. This report highlights impaction as one of the major causes of debility and death in intensively farmed ostriches. High levels of alkaline phosphatase coupled with low levels of plasma glucose, protein, and albumin detected in impacted ostriches may be useful diagnostic antemortem indicators of the syndrome.
Exploratory celiotomy of an 18-mo-old female ostrich (Struthio camelus) with anorexia, lethargy, and constipation of 5 days' duration showed mesenteric volvulus and a focal narrowing of the rectum approximately 28 cm cranial to the cloaca. The prognosis was poor and the animal was euthanized. Necropsy revealed a fibrinonecrotic proctitis and a 3-cm-long circumferential stricture of the rectum. Histologically, the rectal wall at the stricture was deeply effaced by fibrovascular connective tissue with vascular thrombosis and necrotizing vasculitis, and it resembled the lesions in feeder pigs with fibrinonecrotic colitis.
The enzyme carnitine acetyltransferase (CAT) catalyzes the reversible transfer of short-chain acyl groups between coenzyme A and L-carnitine, and hence, plays an important role in the beta-oxidation of fatty acids. Purification and characterization of CAT from desert animal species may help in explaining the involvement of secondary pathways for energy production in these species. In this paper, we report the purification and partial characterization of CAT from the Arabian camel. CAT was purified from the skeletal muscle of the Arabian camel by ammonium sulfate and acetone fractionation, followed by chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose, agarose-Co A and Superose 12 gel filtration columns. CAT was purified by 2937-fold to a specific activity of 94 Units mg-1. The purified CAT was a monomer of 59 kDa as judged by native and SDS-PAGE, and showed a pI of 5.2. The enzyme displayed maximum activity with propionyl-Co A. Apparent Km for acetyl-, propionyl- and butyryl-Co A were 27.7, 17.3 and 29 microM respectively, while palmitoyl-Co A was not a substrate.
Senile plaques with beta-protein as a major constituent are a conspicuous feature in the brains of aged humans, monkeys, dogs, and bears. We found cerebral senile plaques of the diffuse and primitive type, but not the classical type, in an aged female camel of more than 20 years old. The senile plaques and a few cortical capillaries were immunoreactive with anti-beta-protein serum. Congophilic amyloid deposition was detected in a small number of the capillaries, but not in the senile plaques. We believe this to be the first detailed report of senile plaques in a herbivore, and these findings suggest the possibility of senile plaque formation in a wide variety of mammalian species.
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Milk samples (n = 160) from 7 clinically healthy bactrian camels were cultured to detect subclinical udder infection. The samples were assessed by the Californian mastitis test (CMT) and somatic cell count (SCC). Bacteria were recovered from 36 (22.5%) of the milk samples. Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) were the main organisms found. Infected quarters had significantly higher mean values for the SCC (p < 0.01) and CMT (p < 0.001) than non-infected quarters. All 7 camels were infected with CNS but only 4 with S. aureus. CMT values for S. aureus-infected camels were significantly higher than for those only infected with CNS. The values for SCC and CMT were significantly influenced by the stage of lactation (p < 0.05). No significant difference was found from the effect of the quarters. Both SCC and CMT were of value in predicting the infection status of the udder.
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The histochemical localization of carbohydrates, ribonucleoproteins (RNA), lipids, some hydrolytic enzymes, succinate and lactate dehydrogenase and acetylcholinesterase were investigated in the prostate, urethral and bulbourethral glands of the camel. These glands probably secrete carbohydrate-protein complexes. In the bulbourethral glands, they are sulphated mucopolysaccharides. RNA was seen in the cytoplasm of the prostate and urethral glands. Neutral lipids were cytoplasmic and present in moderate amounts in the prostate and urethral glands and in traces, in the bulbourethral gland. Acid phosphatase-containing granules were abundant in the prostate, moderate in the urethral glands and in traces in the bulbourethral glands. Alkaline phosphatase was observed in the apical cytoplasm of the prostate and bulbourethral glands and in the ducts of the urethral glands. ATPase and adenosine 5-monophosphatase were seen in the basal laminae and interstitial tissue. In the urethral glands, adenosine 5-monophosphatase was distributed diffusely in the cytoplasm. Succinate dehydrogenase was seen in the urethral and bulbourethral glands. Varying degrees of lactate dehydrogenase activity was observed in all the glands. Acetylcholinesterase was confined to neural elements. The pars disseminata and the urethral glands were considered as two distinct glandular zones along the pelvic urethra. The significance of these histochemical results is discussed.
The histochemical localization of carbohydrates and lipids and some oxidative, hydrolytic and steroid-linked enzymes has been studied in the testis of the camel with particular reference to the effect of the season on the distribution of these substances. PAS-positive, but diastase-resistant, material was seen mainly in the wall of blood vessels and in the boundary tissues of the seminiferous tubules, tubuli recti and rete testis. Clear cyclical changes were seen for glycogen in the lining epithelium of the seminiferous tubules. Glycogen was most abundant in early stages and very scanty or absent in the late stages of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium. Numerous small lipid droplets were seen in the interstitial cells and towards the lumen of the seminiferous tubules that contain elongate spermatids or spermatozoa. Large lipid droplets were also demonstrable in the basal layer of the seminiferous epithelium and in the cytoplasmic debri. Alkaline phosphatase was demonstrated in the boundary tissues of the seminiferous tubules, tubuli recti and reti testis and in the cells bordering the lumen of the seminiferous tubules. Succinate and lactic dehydrogenases showed similar patterns of distribution in the interstitial elements and intratubularly. delta5-3beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase was exclusively demonstrated in the interstitial cells. 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase could not be demonstrated. The season seems to have no effect on the distribution of all these substances. The possible significance of all these findings is discussed.
A study undertaken to determine the Onchocerca species infecting camels that live in the same localities as cattle in the Dinder Region, Blue Nile Province, Sudan revealed concurrent infections with the bovine parasites Onchocerca armillata in the thoracic aorta, brachiocephalic trunks and brachial arteries and Onchocerca gutturosa in the ventral side of the lamellar parts of the ligamentum nuchae. The microfilariae of both species had the same predilection sites in the skin of the ears, head and neck regions. Those of O. gutturosa outnumber those of O. armillata but both are smaller than the respective uterine microfilariae. Males and microfilariae of both species are smaller than those of cattle origin.
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