An outbreak of bumblefoot and septicemia was reported in birds of commercial breeding. Forty-four color canaries chosen at random, without regard to sex, age or color, which died naturally having been affected with pododermatitis and not undergoing any prior treatment were used. The dead birds were sent for necropsy in which tissue samples from affected areas were taken for microbiological, mycological and histological examination. All necropsied birds had bumblefoot, inflammation in one or more fingers, nodular, with or without the presence of ulcers and necrosis. Staphylococcus aureus plasma-coagulase positive was isolated from the liver and the feet of all birds. It was observed that all isolates were resistant to the penicillin class of antibiotics (penicillin G and ampicillin) and partially sensitive or resistant to ciprofloxacin. Only half of the isolates were sensitive to neomycin and streptomycin. Public health problems may be related to the emergence of animal reservoirs of multi-resistant strains for contacted humans, as in this case.
sepsis; colour canaries; bumblefoot; antibiotics
