Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Fatal multiresistant Nocardia veterana infection in a puppy dog
By Uhde, Ann-Kathrin et al.·Published in Veterinary microbiology·2016·Department of Pathology, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Fatal nocardiosis in a dog caused by multiresistant Nocardia veterana.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-month-old dog was brought in for breathing problems and neurological issues, and unfortunately, it passed away. After examining the dog, vets found serious infections in multiple organs caused by a rare bacteria called Nocardia veterana, which was resistant to all the antibiotics they tried. The dog also had a distemper virus infection, which likely weakened its immune system and contributed to the severe illness. This case highlights the dangers of systemic nocardiosis in dogs, especially those with compromised immune systems.
People also search for: dog breathing problems · puppy neurological issues · Nocardia infection in dogs · distemper virus treatment · antibiotic-resistant dog infections
Abstract
Among pathogenic Nocardia species in humans and animals, infections caused by Nocardia (N.) veterana have rarely been described and so far, all non-human cases are linked to bovine mastitis in Brazil. The aim of this study was to identify the causative microorganism involved in the death of a three-month-old dog suffering from dyspnea and neurological deficits ante mortem. Pathomorphological investigation revealed (pyo-)granulomatous lesions in various organs. Bacteriological examination was performed and the respective bacteria were subjected to matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), 16S rDNA sequencing, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing by broth microdilution. Gram-staining and colony morphology suggested the presence of an actinomycete which was identified as N. veterana by MALDI-TOF MS. This identification was confirmed by 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Distemper-associated immunosuppression may have played a role in the pathogenesis of systemic nocardiosis in this dog. Retrospective analysis of the antimicrobial susceptibility status showed that the N. veterana isolate was multiresistant and displayed high minimal inhibitory concentrations to all antimicrobial agents used for the dog's therapy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a systemic nocardiosis caused by N. veterana in a dog with a concurrent canine distemper virus infection.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26790938/