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Pathogenicity of Eimeria mulardi Chauve et al., 1994 in experimentally infected mule-ducks. Precision on pathological stages The pathogenicity of Eimeria mulardi has been studied in mule-ducklings orally inoculated with sporulated oocysts. With two dose levels (10(5) or 10(6) oocysts per bird), a significant loss of body-weight was observed, whereas no loss of weight was observed with a dose level of 10(4). With a dose of 10(6) oocysts per bird, inflammatory and haemorrhagic changes associated with obstruction mainly involving the end of the jejunum, the ileum and the caeca were seen from day 5 post-inoculation. Pathogenicity of Eimeria mulardi is due to the last generation of meronts and essentially to gamonts.

A case of systemic brucellosis caused by Brucella melitensis biovar 3 was identified in a chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) in the southern French Alps. Clinical signs included bilateral orchiepididymitis and keratoconjunctivitis, polyarthritis, and neurological signs; pathological findings confirmed an ulcerative keratitis, orchiepididymitis with calcified or necrotic foci and serofibrinous and hemorrhagic polyarthritis. The kidney cortex showed calcified nodules and infarctions. A small focus of chronic pleuritis was also observed. Brain and pia mater showed degeneration, necrosis and calcification with perivascular lymphoplasmacytic and granulomatous inflammation. B. melitensis was evidenced in all these organs. This systemic brucellosis is unusual in our developed countries, in human an early medical action restricts the illness to localised lesions; domestic ruminants are slaughtered at the first clinical suspicion like abortion and/or after seroconversion.

Systemic brucellosis caused by Brucella melitensis biovar 3 was identified in a chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) near the Parc National des Ecrins in the southern French Alps (France). Clinical signs included orchiepididymitis, polyarthritis, blindness and various neurological signs; necropsy findings included numerous calcified foci in testis, epididymis, kidney, subcutaneous connective tissue and brain. Brucella sp. were identified in brain by indirect immunofluorescence and B. melitensis biovar 3 was isolated from testis, kidney, eye, lung and joints. This report describes the first case of brucellosis and Brucella sp. isolation in chamois in France and the first case of B. melitensis isolation in this host species.

Intra-nasal inoculation of 10-day-old piglets, free of specific pathogenic flora, with swine influenza virus A/H1 N1 and A/H3 N2 produces lesions of viral pneumonia without detectable clinical signs. Following indirect contamination all the strains studied were able to multiply in the respiratory tract; in those cases where no macroscopic lesion was seen, microscopic examination revealed variable modification of the pulmonary tissue depending on the virus causing infection. Influenza virus type H3 N2 are naturally found in many groups of pigs and can therefore play an important role in the respiratory pathology of the hog. Experimental results when compared to findings in the field indicate that the severity of the disease is linked to associated etiological factors as well as to the virulence of the viral strains themselves.