Central nervous system mycobacteriosis caused byin degus ().

Abstract

Degus () that were kept at a breeding facility presented with neurological or respiratory symptoms and died. Necropsies were performed on 9 individuals, and no significant gross lesions were found. Histologically, spinal cord necrosis was observed in all 9 cases and granulomatous myelitis in 5 of the 9 cases. Locally extensive necrosis of the brain and encephalitis were observed in 7 of the 9 cases. Acid-fast bacteria were found in the spinal cords, brains, and lungs from all 9 cases. Immunohistochemically,antigen was observed in the spinal cords, brains, and lungs from all 9 cases. Double-labeling immunofluorescence revealedantigen in IBA1- and myeloperoxidase-immunopositive cells. Extracted genomic DNA from 8 of the 9 cases was successfully amplified with the primers forandgenes, and the polymerase chain reaction products were identified asby DNA sequencing. This report highlights the susceptibility of degus toinfection in the central nervous system.