Red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) found dead or dying on the Isle of Wight and the island of Jersey were suffering from exudative, ulcerative dermatitis and superficial staphylococcal pyoderma. The principal gross lesions were on the lips, eyelids and feet and showed similarities to those of squirrelpox. The histopathological lesions were also similar and, although there was no ballooning degeneration of epidermal cells, intracytoplasmic inclusions resembling those seen in poxvirus infections were present. Examination of lesions by electron microscopy failed to identify any virions, and PCR analysis for squirrelpox virus proved negative. The skin lesions also resembled those of mange, but although numerous mites were present in the fur these were mostly Dermacarus sciurinus with small numbers of Metalistrophorus pagenstecheri. The occurrence of these species on red squirrels in Britain is confirmed, but neither is pathogenic and they were not considered to have been involved in the pathogenesis of the dermatitis, the primary cause of which was not established.

No abstract

Mycobacterial disease has been reported in both free-ranging and captive southern hemisphere pinnipeds in australasia, South america and europe. although isolates in cases published prior to 2001 had biochemical characteristics which suggested Mycobacterium bovis, genetic analyses revealed differences and cousins and others (2003) demonstrated that these isolates were phenotypically and genetically distinct from M bovis and belonged to a unique member of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, given the name Mycobacterium pinnipedii. M pinnipedii has since been isolated from other southern hemisphere pinnipeds, for example, Kriz and others (2011). this paper describes the isolation and identification of what is believed to be the first confirmed case of M bovis in a pinniped. it was isolated from a grey seal pup (Halichoerus grypus) undergoing rehabilitation.the seal was found on the south coast of cornwall in January 2012. it was estimated to be four months of age and weighed 26 kg. the seal was hospitalised in a facility which rehabilitated up to 50 grey seal pups a year and also held a variety of indigenous and nonindigenous pinniped species, otters, penguins, ponies, goats and sheep. on examination, the most significant findings were one 5 cm long open infected wound on the perineum, puncture wounds over both hocks and a tear in the webbing of the right hind flipper. a two-week course of amoxycillin/clavulanic acid was given (Noroclav, initially at 8.75 mg/kg intramuscular, then at 12.5 mg/kg orally, Norbrook, UK). the wounds healed, but due to persistent neutrophilia (initially 22.95×10 9 /l, increasing to 72.25×10 9 /l; reference range: 2-12×10 9 /l; barnett and robinson 2003) and failure to gain weight consistently, a two-week course of enrofloxacin (enrox, 5 mg/kg orally, Virbac, UK) and one injection of long-acting oxytetracycline (alamycin la, 20 mg/kg intramuscular, Norbrook, UK) were then given. over the next month, the seal developed granulomas on the fore and hind flippers consistent with parapoxvirus infection and a second injection of long-acting oxytetracycline was given to reduce the risk of secondary bacterial infection. two months after admission, a diffuse swelling was noticed on the caudal abdomen and ventral perineum. cellulitis was suspected and a one-week course of amoxycillin/clavulanic acid was administered, followed by amoxycillin/clavulanic acid with clindamycin (clinacin, 11 mg/kg orally, chanelle Vet UK, UK) due to the possibility of deep anaerobic infection. two weeks after the swelling was first noticed, the pup was sedated for radiographs to investigate possible osteomyelitis of the pelvis, but no evidence was found. at this time, inspissated pus was aggressively curetted through a surgical wound, which was flushed and left open to drain. the neutrophilia persisted (60.03×10 9 /l) and antibiotics were changed to enrofloxacin with clindamycin. two sequential swabs submitted from the wound for culture did not produce any significant bacterial growth on columbia blood agar and Macc...