To evaluate the most controversial issue concerning current feline coronavirus (FCoV) virology, the coexisting hypotheses of the intrahost and interhost origins of feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) in regard to the pathogenesis of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), this study aimed to assess the molecular diversity of the membrane gene FCoVs in 190 samples from 10 cats with signs of FIP and in 5 faecal samples from cats without signs of FIP. All samples from the non-FIP cats and 25.26% of the samples from the FIP cats were positive for the FCoV membrane (M) gene. Mutations in this gene consisted of SNP changes randomly scattered among the sequences; few mutations resulted in amino acid changes. No geographic pattern was observed. Of the cats without FIP that harboured FECoV, the amino acid sequence identities for the M gene were 100% among cats (Cats 1–3) from the same cattery, and the overall sequence identity for the M gene was ≥91%. In one cat, two different lineages of FCoV, one enteric and one systemic, were found that segregated apart in the M gene tree. In conclusion, the in vivo mutation transition hypothesis and the circulating high virulent-low virulent FCoV hypothesis have been found to be plausible according to the results obtained from sequencing the M gene.

This study describes an outbreak of necrotic enteritis caused by Clostridium perfringens type A in captive macaws (Ara ararauna). Two psittacine birds presented a history of prostration and died 18 hr after manifestation of clinical signs. The necropsy findings and histopathologic lesions were indicative of necrotic enteritis. Microbiologic assays resulted in the growth of large gram-positive bacilli that were identified as C. perfringens. PCR was used to identify clostridium toxinotypes and confirmed the identification of isolated strains as C pefringens type A, positive to gene codifying beta 2 toxin. The infection source and predisposing factors could not be ascertained.