Borreliosis in Waterfowl

Disease Summary

Alternative Names (Synonyms)

• Goose septicaemia
• Spirochetosis
• Fowl Spirochetosis
• Avian Spirochaetosis

Disease Type

Infectious/Non-Infectious Agent associated with the Disease

• The disease is caused by a spirochaete bacterium Borrelia (Treponema, Spirochaeta) anserina.
• VECTORS: Argas ticks, particularly Argas persicus - fowl tick are the main reservoirs. Also transmitted by mosquitoes and fowl mites.

Infective "Taxa"

• Borrelia anserina
• Argas miniatus (Vector)
• Argas persicus (Vector)
• Argas reflexus (Vector)
• Culicidae (Vector Family)

Non-infective agents

Physical agents

References

Disease Author

Major References / Reviews

Code and Title List

Other References

Code and Title List

Detailed Clinical and Pathological Characteristics

General

Clinical Characteristics

Incubation

Mortality / Morbidity

Pathology

• Anaemia, slight leucocytosis (increased mononuclear cells, decreased granulocytes), increased coagulation time.
• Reduced serum albumin, alkaline phosphatase, total lipids, cholesterol, chloride, iron and (slight) inorganic phosphorus.
• Raised total protein, globulins, uric acid, glutamate-oxalate transaminase, creatinine, urea, bilirubin aspartate aminotransferase

Gross Pathology:

• Liver - hepatomegaly, small haemorrhages, necrotic foci.
• Spleen - splenomegaly
• Kidneys - swollen, pale, urates visible in ureters
• Gastro-intestinal - green mucoid intestinal contents, variable haemorrhage.

(B12.55.w1, B14, B16.19.w1, B32.14.w19).

Human Health Considerations

• None (B32.14.w19).
• Waterfowl might act as disseminators of Borrelia burgdorferi, the cause of Lyme disease in humans. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos experimentally infected either orally or intravenously became infected and organisms were isolated from cloacal material of an orally infected duck and from the blood of an intravenously infected duck (J1.25.w3).

Disease has been reported in either the wild or in captivity in:

Host Species List

Disease has been specifically reported in Free-ranging populations of:

Host Species List

• --

General Information on Environmental Factors/Events and Seasonality

Regions / Countries where the Infectious Agent or Disease has been recorded

Regions / Countries where the Infectious Agent or Disease has been recorded in Free-ranging populations

General Information on Investigation / Diagnosis

• Suggested by: Clinical signs, characteristic lesions, presence of larval ticks (particularly on ventral (under) side of wing webs and/or punctate haemorrhages from tick bites (B32.14.w19). 
• Confirmed by: Helical organisms, 6-30µm long seen on Giemsa-stained blood smears or with immunofluorescence, or with dark-field or phase microscopy examination of wet mounts. Silver-impregnation stains for detection on tissues. Culture is difficult (B12.55.w1, B14, B16.19.w1, B32.14.w19).
• Antibodies may be present four to 30 days after infection (B12.55.w1).

• Physical Examination - General
• Necropsy - General
• Treatment and Care - General
• Chapter 2 - B36 Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases - Specimen Collection and Preservation
• Chapter 3 - B36 Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases - Specimen shipment
• Appendix A - B36 Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases - Sample specimen history form

Similar Diseases (Differential Diagnosis)

Specific Medical Treatment

• Treatment and Care - General

General Nursing and Surgical Techniques

• Treatment and Care - General

Preventative Measures

WATERFOWL

• Preventative Medicine for Birds - General

Environmental and Population  Control Measures

WATERFOWL

• Preventative Medicine for Birds - General
• Environmental and Population Management - General