Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Fatal pneumonia in dogs and cats caused by Bordetella bronchiseptica
By Taha-Abdelaziz, Khaled et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc·2016·Department of Pathobiology, Canada·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Cilia-associated bacteria in fatal Bordetella bronchiseptica pneumonia of dogs and cats.
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs and cats suffering from severe pneumonia were found to have a bacteria called Bordetella bronchiseptica, which is often linked to less serious respiratory issues. In this study, researchers looked at 36 dogs and 31 cats that had fatal bronchopneumonia and discovered that this bacteria was present in several cases. They used various tests to confirm its presence, including special staining techniques and PCR testing. Recognizing Bordetella bronchiseptica is crucial because it can lead to serious illness and can spread between animals, highlighting the importance of vaccination and caution for pet owners, especially those with weakened immune systems.
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Abstract
Bordetella bronchiseptica frequently causes nonfatal tracheobronchitis, but its role in fatal pneumonia is less recognized. Our study evaluated histologic identification of cilia-associated bacteria as a method for diagnosis of B. bronchiseptica pneumonia. Cases of fatal bronchopneumonia were studied retrospectively, excluding neonates and cases of aspiration pneumonia, minor lung lesions, or autolysis. The study population comprised 36 canine and 31 feline cases of bronchopneumonia. B. bronchiseptica was identified in 8 of 36 canine and 14 of 31 feline cases based on immunohistochemistry (IHC) using serum from a rabbit hyperimmunized with pertactin, PCR testing (Fla2/Fla12), and/or bacterial culture data when available. Of these, IHC was positive in 4 canine and 7 feline cases, PCR was positive in 8 canine and 14 feline cases, and B. bronchiseptica was isolated in 2 of 5 canine and 3 of 9 feline cases tested. Examination of histologic sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin revealed bronchial cilia-associated bacteria in 4 of 36 canine and 5 of 31 feline cases; these were all positive by IHC and PCR. The presence of cilia-associated bacteria had been noted in the pathology report for only 2 of these 9 cases. Thus, the presence of cilia-associated bacteria seems frequently overlooked by pathologists, but is a diagnostically significant feature of B. bronchiseptica pneumonia. A specific diagnosis of B. bronchiseptica pneumonia is important because it suggests primary or opportunistic bacterial pneumonia rather than aspiration pneumonia, and because of the risk of animal-to-animal transmission of B. bronchiseptica, the availability of vaccines for disease prevention, and the potential zoonotic risk to immunocompromised pet owners.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27178716/