COMBINED ADENOVIRUS AND ROTAVIRUS ENTERITIS WITH ESCHERICHIA-COLI SEPTICEMIA IN AN EMU CHICK (DROMAIUS-NOVAEHOLLANDIAE)

A 2-week-old emu chick (Dromaius novaehollandiae) of approximately 200 g body weight was presented for necropsy with a history of weakness, diarrhea, pallor of the head, and acute death. Hemorrhagic enteritis w ith mild hepatomegaly was noted on gross examination. Microscopic exam ination revealed necrohemorrhagic enteritis with intralesional intranu clear basophilic viral inclusion bodies in intestinal epithelial cells ; splenic lymphoid necrosis and fibrin exudation; hepatocellular vacuo lar change; and multiple clusters of small gram-negative bacilli in th e liver, spleen, yolk sac, and intestine. Transmission electron micros copy of negatively stained fecal specimens and thin sections of small intestine revealed clusters of viral particles consistent with adenovi rus and rotavirus. Attempts at viral isolation from pooled tissue spec imens were unsuccessful. Escherichia coli was isolated from specimens of liver and intestine and from an abdominal swab.