Guzman David Sanchez-Migallon, Diaz-Figueroa Orlando, Tully Thomas, Ciembor Paula, Morgan Tim, Walden Michael, Poston Robert P, Flammer Keven, Mitchell Mark A, Ritchie Branson
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Louisiana State University, School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.
J Avian Med Surg. 2010 Mar;24(1):35-45. doi: 10.1647/2009-009R.1.
To determine the efficacy of 21-day therapy with azithromycin and doxycycline in the treatment of experimental infection with Chlamydophila psittaci in cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus), 30 birds randomly assigned to 3 treatment groups and 1 control group were inoculated with C psittaci by combined intranasal and ocular routes. Morbidity, mortality, and results of polymerase chain reaction testing confirmed that infection was successful. Birds in group 1 (n = 8) received azithromycin at 40 mg/kg PO q48h for 21 days; in group 2 (n = 8), doxycycline at 35 mg/kg PO q24h for 21 days; in group 3 (n = 8), doxycycline at 35 mg/kg PO q24h for 45 days; and, in group 4 (controls; n = 6), no treatment. Six birds died either before or within 2 days of initiating treatment: 4 in the 3 treatment groups and 2 in the control group. Clinical signs resolved and mortality ceased 2-6 days after treatment was initiated in all treatment groups, whereas birds in the control group exhibited clinical signs for the duration of the study. Plasma doxycycline concentrations were measured during the treatment period and exceeded 1 microg/mL at all time points. The absence of clinical signs and mortality in the treatment groups, even after inducing an immunocompromised state with dexamethasone (3 mg/kg IM q24h for 5 days), starting on day 70 postinoculation, suggested that treatment resulted in elimination of the pathogen. After euthanasia of the remaining 24 birds, 23 of the carcasses were submitted for necropsy. Spleen and liver samples from the birds in all treatment and control groups were polymerase chain reaction negative for C psittaci nucleic acid, and organisms were not detected by Gimenez stain. No gross or histologic differences were observed in the livers and spleens of treated and untreated infected birds. Lesions consistent with avian chlamydiosis (hystiocytosis) were seen in all birds and were considered residual. In this study, a 21-day course of either doxycycline or azithromycin was effective in eliminating C psittaci infection in experimentally inoculated cockatiels. Additional studies are necessary to evaluate the efficacy of these treatments in naturally infected cockatiels as well as other species of birds.
为确定阿奇霉素和强力霉素21天疗法对治疗玄凤鹦鹉（虎皮鹦鹉）鹦鹉热衣原体实验性感染的疗效，将30只鸟随机分为3个治疗组和1个对照组，通过鼻内和眼内联合途径接种鹦鹉热衣原体。发病率、死亡率以及聚合酶链反应检测结果证实感染成功。第1组（n = 8）的鸟口服阿奇霉素，剂量为40 mg/kg，每48小时一次，共21天；第2组（n = 8）的鸟口服强力霉素，剂量为35 mg/kg，每24小时一次，共21天；第3组（n = 8）的鸟口服强力霉素，剂量为35 mg/kg，每24小时一次，共45天；第4组（对照组；n = 6）不进行治疗。6只鸟在开始治疗前或治疗开始后2天内死亡：3个治疗组中有4只，对照组中有2只。所有治疗组在开始治疗后2 - 6天临床症状消失且死亡率停止，而对照组的鸟在研究期间一直表现出临床症状。在治疗期间测量血浆强力霉素浓度，所有时间点均超过1μg/mL。即使在接种后第70天开始用 dexamethasone（3 mg/kg，肌肉注射，每24小时一次，共5天）诱导免疫抑制状态后，治疗组中也没有临床症状和死亡情况，这表明治疗导致病原体被清除。对其余24只鸟实施安乐死后，将23具尸体送去进行尸检。所有治疗组和对照组鸟的脾脏和肝脏样本经聚合酶链反应检测，鹦鹉热衣原体核酸呈阴性，吉姆萨染色未检测到病原体。在接受治疗和未接受治疗的感染鸟的肝脏和脾脏中未观察到大体或组织学差异。所有鸟均可见与禽衣原体病（组织细胞增多症）一致的病变，认为是残留病变。在本研究中，强力霉素或阿奇霉素21天疗程可有效清除实验接种玄凤鹦鹉中的鹦鹉热衣原体感染。需要进一步研究来评估这些治疗方法对自然感染玄凤鹦鹉以及其他鸟类的疗效。
