An outbreak of yolk sac infection and dead-in-shell mortality in common canary (Serinus canaria) caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae

Yolk sac infection (YSI) and deadinshell mortality caused by Enterobacteriaceae in birds are not a rare phenomenon, however there are only a few reports indicating the association between these conditions and Klebsiella spp. among canary chicks (Serinus canaria). There have been reports of high mortality among 13 day old canary chicks in an indoor flock of canaries. In order to study the causative agent, yolk sac samples from deadinshell and dayold canary chicks were cultured. Klebsiella pneumonia was isolated and identified based on biochemical tests and using genus and speciesspecific multiplex PCR and later tested for their susceptibility to 13 antimicrobial agents. The isolates showed susceptibility to Gentamycin, Chloramphenicol, Florfenicol and Streptomycin.