Bordetella bronchiseptica in a paediatric cystic fibrosis patient: possible transmission from a household cat

Bordetella bronchiseptica is a zoonotic respiratory pathogen commonly found in domesticated farm and companion animals, including dogs and cats. Here, we report isolation of B. bronchiseptica from a sputum sample of a cystic fibrosis patient recently exposed to a kitten with an acute respiratory illness. Genetic characterization of the isolate and comparison with other isolates of human or feline origin strongly suggest that the kitten was the source of infection.     

A case of necrotizing fasciitis with septic shock in a cat caused by Acinetobacter baumannii

A 4-year-old, neutered female, domestic shorthair cat admitted to the animal hospital for recurrent constipation presumed to be due to post-traumatic injuries, went into shock with signs including fever and ataxia followed by stupor. On the fifth day of hospitalization, the cat developed severe, diffuse oedema of the ventral abdomen with multifocal to coalescing erythematous areas and small vesicle formation. The results of bacteriological cultures of liver, spleen and kidney specimens led to the diagnosis of Acinetobacter baumannii sepsis. Histopathological findings of skin samples taken during necropsy showed an extensive epidermal and dermal necrosis with septic vasculitis and numerous intralesional gram-negative bacteria. Detection of the bla(OXA-51-like) gene specific for A. baumannii by PCR, performed retrospectively on samples of the deep layers of the skin, confirmed the presence of A. baumannii also in the cutaneous lesions. To our knowledge this is the first report of a necrotizing fasciitis with septic shock in a cat caused by A. baumannii.     

Myelopathy caused by a histiocytic sarcoma in a cat

An eight-year-old, female spayed, domestic shorthair cat presented with a three-week history of progressive general proprioceptive ataxia and upper motor neuron paresis of the hindlimbs. Computed tomography revealed a mediastinal mass invading the vertebral canal with the T1 spinal nerve and roots, causing extramedullary compression of the cranial thoracic spinal cord. Histopathological and immunohistochemical studies of the mass during postmortem examination disclosed a neoplasm, later determined to be a poorly differentiated histiocytic sarcoma. Feline histiocytic tumours are rare, with only two prior reports existing in the veterinary literature. This report details a case work-up and reviews the literature on feline histiocytic diseases and tumours affecting the feline spinal     

Phaeohyphomycosis caused by Alternaria alternata in a cat

Phaeohyphomycosis caused by Alternaria alternata was diagnosed in a 6-year-old cat. A lesion in the nose resulted in enlargement of the dorsum of the nose. Similar appearing lesions had been removed from the dorsum of the nose 1 and 4 years earlier. The lesion recurred 3 months after surgical excision and irregular administration of ketoconazole. A second cytoreductive operation followed by 5 months' treatment with ketoconazole resolved the infection. Nasal trauma occurring at 8 months and at 5 years before initial examination may have predisposed the cat to development of the Alternaria infection.     

Paraparesis caused by epidural granuloma in a cat

Caudal paraparesis in a cat was determined to be caused by an epidural mass. Surgical decompression was performed, and the mass was determined to be a granuloma. Fusobacterium and Bacteroides spp were isolated from the granuloma. Epidural granulomas are seldom reported in dogs and cats. Decompression and administration of antibiotics led to recovery of this cat even though in human beings an unfavorable prognosis is given if neurologic deficits have developed.     

Uveitis associated with septic peritonitis in a cat

Objective – To report a case of bilateral uveitis believed to be a consequence of septic peritonitis in a 19‐month‐old cat. Case Summary – Bilateral anterior uveitis with suspicion of extension to the posterior segment was documented in a previously healthy young cat during hospitalization for severe septic peritonitis. Based on medical history and other findings uveitis was believed to result from concurrent abdominal sepsis, due either to metastatic seeding of bacterial organisms or to effects of bacterial toxins and inflammatory mediators on the blood‐aqueous barrier. The cat was surgically and medically managed, and made a full recovery with respect to both his ocular and his abdominal disease. New or Unique Information Provided – Ocular complications secondary to systemic sepsis are well documented in people but seldom reported in the veterinary literature. To the authors' knowledge this is the first report of uveitis linked to septic peritonitis in any veterinary species and the first to report sepsis‐related uveitis in a cat. Ocular inflammatory disease in the context of critical illness deserves attention as a potential significant source of morbidity. The development of ocular inflammatory disease may serve as a sentinel lesion for systemic sepsis and other life‐threatening conditions.     

Pulmonary abscess caused by a Mycoplasma sp in a cat

A Mycoplasma sp was isolated from an abscess of the right cranial lung lobe in a 6-year-old Persian cat. The cat responded well to resection of the affected lung lobe and to a 2-week course of tylosin treatment.     

Presumptive meningoencephalitis secondary to extension of otitis media/interna caused by Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus in a cat

A 5-year-old castrated male domestic longhair cat was presented with neurological signs consistent with a central vestibular lesion and left Horner's syndrome. Computed tomography images revealed hyperattenuating, moderately contrast-enhancing material within the left tympanic bulla, most consistent with left otitis media/interna. Marked neutrophilic pleocytosis was identified on cerebrospinal fluid analysis. Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (SEZ) was isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid. Intracranial extension of otitis media/interna is relatively infrequent in small animals. There are no reports of otitis media/interna caused by SEZ in dogs or cats. This is the first report of otitis media/interna and presumptive secondary meningoencephalitis caused by SEZ in a cat.     

Duodenal perforation caused by Rhizomucor species in a cat

CLINICAL SUMMARY: A 7-month-old female Persian cat presented with gastrointestinal (GI) necrosis and perforation caused by Rhizomucor species. Unfortunately, the cat died of bacterial peritonitis and sepsis before a definitive diagnosis, based on histopathology and fungal culture, was achieved. PRACTICAL RELEVANCE: This appears to be the first reported case of GI disease caused by Rhizomucor species in a cat. Mucorales infections typically cause acute and rapidly progressive disease. As illustrated by this case, clinicians should be alert to the potentially fatal consequences of an opportunistic Rhizomucor species infection in their feline patients.     

Phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala jeanselmei in a domestic cat

Abstract

Extract

The term phaeohyphomycosis is applied to granulomatous nodules and abscesses usually single, usually involving only skin and subcutis and caused by species of soil and wood-dwelling fungi which produce dark (dematiaceous) hyphae and spores. In a recent publication, Ajello listed 71 species of dematiaceous fungi from 39 genera which have been found to cause phaeohyphomycosis in humans and in lower animals ⁽¹⁾ Ajello, L. 1986. Hyalohyphomycosis and phaeohyphomycosis: two global disease entities of public health importance. European Journal of Epidemiology, 2: 243–251.  [Google Scholar]. There have been two published reports of feline phaeohyphomycosis in which the fungus Exophiala jeanselmei has been isolated ⁽²⁾ Bostock, DE, Coloe, PJ and Castellani, A. 1982. Phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala jeanselmei in a domestic cat. Journal of Comparative Patholoev, 92: 479–482.  [Google Scholar] ⁽³⁾ Pukay, BP and Dion, WM. 1984. Feline phaeohyphomycosis: treatment with ketoconazole and 5-fluorocytosine. Canadian Veterinary Journal, 25: 130–134.  [Google Scholar], and in Australia the closely related E. spinifera has been isolated from a further two cases ⁽⁴⁾ Kettlewell, P, McGinnis, MR and Wilkinson, GT. 1989. Phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala spinifera in two cats. Journal of Medical and Veterinary Mycology, 27: 257–264. [Taylor &; Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]. There are a number of cases in the literature in which the diagnosis has been based solely on histopathology, which, although characteristic, gives no indication as to the identity of the fungus involed ⁽⁵⁾ Haschek, WM and Kasali, OB. 1977. A case of cutaneous feline phaeohyphomycosis caused by Phialophora gougerotii. Cornell Veterinarian, 67: 467–471.  [Google Scholar] ⁽⁶⁾ Hill, JR, Migaki, G and Phemister, RD. 1973. Phaeomycotic granuloma in a cat. Veterinary Pathology, 15: 559–561.  [Google Scholar] ⁽⁷⁾ Sisk, DB and Chandler, FW. 1982. Phaeohyphomycosis and cryptococcosis in a cat. Veterinary Pathology, 19: 554–556.  [Google Scholar].