-associated verminous pneumonia in alpine chamois ().

Pneumonia is a common disease affecting Alpine chamois. However, little is known concerning the etiological agents involved. We investigated whether spp. infection occurs in Alpine chamois and describe the microscopic lesions associated with -associated bronchopneumonia in this species. Lung tissues obtained from 45 chamois with gross evidence of pneumonia were analysed. The histological lesions and the presence of lungworms within the lungs were evaluated blindly. The presence of spp. was assessed by immunohistochemistry ( and subsp) and by end-point PCR. was detected by immunohistochemistry and confirmed by PCR and sequencing in 6/45 (13%) cases, while all lungs were negative for subsp. A significant association was found between the detection of and the presence of severe lungworms infection in the examined lungs. We report for the first time as a bacteria associated with verminous pneumonia in chamois.