Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
FIV-positive cat with widespread Mycobacterium infection and fluid
By Paharsingh, India et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2020·School of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Disseminated Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis infection and ascites in an FIV-positive cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A domestic shorthair cat was brought to the vet with symptoms of not eating, unsteady walking, and extreme tiredness. The vet found that the cat's belly was swollen and collected fluid from it, which showed signs of a serious infection. Unfortunately, the cat's condition worsened quickly, and it passed away just hours after arriving at the clinic. Tests later confirmed that the cat had feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and a rare infection caused by Mycobacterium avium, which contributed to its severe illness.
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Abstract
A domestic shorthair cat was presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at The University of the West Indies with a history of anorexia, ataxia, and lethargy. On physical examination, moderate abdominal distension and a palpable abdominal fluid wave were noted. Dark yellow, cloudy fluid was collected via abdominocentesis. Fluid analysis indicated that the effusion was a transudate containing low numbers of macrophages and occasional neutrophils. Some of the macrophages contained rod-shaped nonstaining structures of variable length (2-4 um). These structures were also seen extracellularly in low numbers. The morphology of the structures was suggestive of Mycobacterium. The cat's condition continued to deteriorate, and it died within a few hours of being admitted. Further diagnostic tests revealed feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection with concurrent Mycobacterium avium subsp hominissuis infection. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of nontubercular mycobacterial-related ascites in a cat.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32966658/