Streptococcosis in Waterfowl (with notes on Hedgehogs and Lagomorphs)

Disease Summary

Alternative Names (Synonyms)

• Streptococcal Infection
• Streptococcus Infection

Disease Type

Infectious/Non-Infectious Agent associated with the Disease

• Streptococcus equi var zooepidemicus (=Streptococcus gallinarum): Lancefield group C; Streptococcus (Enterococcus)  faecalis, Streptococcus (Enterococcus)   faecium, Streptococcus(Enterococcus)  durans and Streptococcus (Enterococcus) avium: Lancefield group C (B32.14.w28).
• Streptococcus suis (J6.23.w1)
• Streptococcus sp. (J138.61.w1)

Infective "Taxa"

• Enterococcus avium
• Enterococcus durans
• Enterococcus faecalis
• Enterococcus faecium
• Streptococcus equi
• Streptococcus suis
• Streptococcus sp.

Non-infective agents

Physical agents

References

Disease Author

Major References / Reviews

Code and Title List

In Hedgehogs:
J138.61.w1

In Lagomorphs:
B614.8.w8

Other References

Code and Title List

Detailed Clinical and Pathological Characteristics

General

Clinical Characteristics

• Sudden death (J6.23.w4).
• Listlessness and anorexia in ducklings (9-15 days old) with septicaemia (J5.32.w1).
• See also: neonatal septicaemia (Neonatal Septicaemia)(B13.46.w1).

GENERAL AVIAN:-
Lancefield group D streptococci:

• Acute septicaemia - depression, lethargy, ruffled feathers, diarrhoea, fine head tremors, decreased egg production (B16.19.w1, B32.14.w28).
• Subacute/Chronic disease - depression, weight loss, lameness, head tremors (B32.14.w28).

Streptococcus zooepidemicus:

• Lassitude, yellow droppings, emaciation, blood staining around the head (B32.14.w28).
• Also a cause of late embryo mortality/dead-in shell (B32.14.w28).

• An acute septicaemic syndrome: there have been several reports of this syndrome occurring in rabbits (particularly young rabbits) prior to 1950. However, in recent decades there have been no reports of this syndrome. (B614.8.w8)
• Osteomyelitis: in 1983 there was a report of a single case of osteomyelitis in a rabbit that occurred secondary to a subcutaneous abscess. (B614.8.w8)

Incubation

Mortality / Morbidity

• Mortality rates of 0.5-5% reported in duckling flocks with septicaemia; 8-30% mortality with experimental subcutaneous inoculation (J5.32.w1). 
• Streptococcus spp. were reported from 6.26% of waterfowl necropsied at Kortright Waterfowl Park (J14.29.w10). 
• Mortality rates of 0.5-50% reported in chicken flocks (B32.14.w28).

Pathology

• Fibrinous pericarditis, perihepatitis, endocarditis, airsacculitis.
• Liver - hepatomegaly (enlargement).
• Spleen - splenomegaly (enlargement), areas of haemorrhage and necrosis.
  (J5.32.w1)

GENERAL AVIAN
ACUTE Gross:

• Spleen - enlarged.
• Liver - enlarged. Sometimes miliary to 1 cm foci, red, white or tan.
• Kidneys - enlarged.
• Umbilicus - omphalitis in neonates.
• Subcutis - congestion, sometimes sanguinous (bloody) subcutaneous fluid.
• Heart - sometimes sanguineous pericardial fluid.
• Peritoneum - peritonitis with fibrinous exudate.

ACUTE Histopathology:

• Spleen - congestion, reticular hyperplasia
• Liver - sinusoids dilated and filled with erythrocytes (red blood cells) and heterophils. Areas of necrosis and/or infarcts, with accumulation of heterophils, and thrombosis.

CHRONIC Gross:

• Heart - necrotic myocarditis, fibrinous pericarditis, valvular endocarditis with white to tan vegetative valvular lesions, usually on the mitral valve, less often the aortic valve or right atrioventricular valve: may be associated enlarged, pale and flaccid heart, pale or haemorrhagic areas of myocardium particularly at base of valves or heart apex.
  Liver - perihepatitis.
• Musculoskeletal - fibrinous to purulent arthritis, tenosynovitis, osteomyelitis.
• Reproductive - salpingitis.
• Liver, spleen, heart, lung, brain, kidney - may be infarcts associated with valvular endocarditis.

CHRONIC Histopathology:

• Heart - Endocardial valves - fibrin, bacteria, heterophils, macrophages and fibroblasts; interstitial oedema.
• Related lesions:
  - focal granulomas due to septic emboli, in any tissue.
  - liver infarcts with portal venous thrombosis and necrosis; colonies of cocci with heterophils in zone inside necrotic area.
  - cerebral lesions, mainly in corpus striatum - infarcts and vasculitis; leptomeningitis
  - glomerulonephritis.
  - pulmonary vessels thrombosed.

(B16.19.w1, B32.14.w28).).

Human Health Considerations

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

• Alpha-hemolytic streptococcus in a debilitated captive, wild-trapped canvasback duck Aythya valisineria, associated with stress and malnutrition (J1.12.w5).
• Streptococcus faecium in domestic ducklings with septicaemia on Long Island, New York, USA; (J5.32.w1).
• Streptococcus suis septicaemia seen in a domestic duck, Canada (J6.23.w4).
• Streptococcus faecalis in arthritis in domestic ducks (J6.10.w3).
• Waterfowl at Kortright Waterfowl Park, Ontario, Canada (J14.29.w1).
• Domestic ducks with salpingitis (J6.24.w1).

In Hedgehogs:

• Streptococcosis was diagnosed in three of 410 hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus - West European Hedgehog) at post mortem examination in Germany, 1975-1979. (J138.61.w1)

In Lagomorphs:

• "Streptococcus is an infrequent pathogen of laboratory rabbits". (B614.8.w8)

Further information on Host species has only been incorporated for  species groups for which a full Wildpro "Health and Management" module has been completed (i.e. for which a comprehensive literature review has been undertaken). Host species with further information available are listed below:

Host Species List

• Anas platyrhynchos domesticus - Domestic duck
• Aythya valisineria - Canvasback

MAMMALS:

• Erinaceus europaeus - West European Hedgehog
• Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus - Domestic European rabbit

(List does not contain all other species groups affected by this organism)

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

• Streptococcosis was diagnosed in three of 410 hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus - West European Hedgehog) at post mortem examination in Germany, 1975-1979. (J138.61.w1)

Further information on Host species has only been incorporated for  species groups for which a full Wildpro "Health and Management" module has been completed (i.e. for which a comprehensive literature review has been undertaken). Host species with further information available are listed below:

Host Species List

• Erinaceus europaeus - West European Hedgehog

(List does not contain all other species groups affected by this organism)

General Information on Environmental Factors/Events and Seasonality

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

In lagomorphs: reports of the acute septicaemic syndrome caused by Streptococcus were all in the European literature. (B614.8.w8) 

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

General Information on Investigation / Diagnosis

• Physical Examination of Birds - General
• Physical Examination of Mammals
• Necropsy of Birds - General
• Necropsy of Mammals
• 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

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Environmental and Population  Control Measures

WATERFOWL

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