Although Pasteurella multocida serogroup F has been described as an avian-adapted serogroup, it was recently found in rabbit nests in the Czech Republic. Therefore, the ability of 2 avian P. multocida serogroup F strains to induce disease in rabbits was investigated. Two groups of 18 Pasteurella-free rabbits were intranasally challenged with strains isolated from chickens and turkeys. Half of the animals in each challenge group were immunosuppressed using dexamethasone. All of the challenged rabbits exhibited clinical signs of peracute septicemic disease, ending with shock, and died or were euthanized in the terminal stages of the disease 1 to 2 d post-infection. Gross pathological changes included systemic vascular collapse and vascular leak syndrome. Hyperemia, hemorrhage, edema, inflammatory cell infiltrates, focal necrosis, and degenerative changes were observed histologically in parenchymatous organs. This is the first study directly demonstrating that avian P. multocida serogroup F strains are highly virulent in rabbits and that avian hosts cannot be excluded as a possible source of rabbit infection with serogroup F.

Bien que Pasteurella multocida sérogroupe F ait été décrit comme étant un sérogroupe adapté aux espèces avicoles, il a récemment été trouvé dans des terriers de lapin en République Tchèque. Ainsi, la capacité de 2 souches aviaires de P. multocida sérogroupe F pour induire la maladie chez les lapins a été étudiée. Deux groupes de lapins exempts de Pasteurella ont été inoculés par voie intranasale avec des souches isolées de poulets et de dindes. La moitié des animaux dans chacun des groupes inoculés étaient immuno-supprimés au moyen de dexaméthasone. Tous les lapins éprouvés ont montré des signes cliniques de maladie septicémique suraiguë, se terminant par un choc, et sont morts ou ont été euthanasiés dans les stades terminaux de la maladie, 1 à 2 j post-infection. Les changements pathologiques anatomiques incluaient un collapse vasculaire systémique et un syndrome de fuite vasculaire. De l’hyperémie, des hémorragies, de l’œdème, des infiltrations de cellules inflammatoires, de la nécrose focale, et des changements dégénératifs ont été observés lors de l’examen histologique des organes parenchymateux. Ce rapport constitue la première étude qui démontre directement que les souches de P. multocida sérogroupe F sont hautement virulentes chez les lapins et que les hôtes avicoles ne peuvent être exclus comme une source possible des infections avec le sérogroupe F chez les lapins. (Traduit par Docteur Serge Messier)

Veterinary Research Institute Hudcova 70 621 00 Brno Czech Republic

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