Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Inguinal skin infection from Mycobacterium in young Tasmanian devil
By Reppas, G et al.·Published in Australian veterinary journal·2010·Vetnostics, Australia·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Inguinal panniculitis in a young Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) caused by Mycobacterium mageritense.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 1-year-old male Tasmanian devil was brought to the vet because of a lump in the groin area that later developed into a draining sore. A second similar sore appeared in the armpit. Tests revealed that the cause was a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium mageritense, which was likely introduced through a fight or bite. The vet treated the infection successfully with doxycycline and moxifloxacin, leading to the resolution of the lesions.
People also search for: Tasmanian devil skin infection · Mycobacterium mageritense treatment · doxycycline for animal infections
Abstract
A 1-year-old, entire male Tasmanian devil living in captivity was presented because of a nodular inguinal lesion that subsequently developed a draining sinus tract. A second, similar lesion developed later in the ipsilateral axillary region. A deep representative biopsy specimen of abnormal subcutaneous tissue showed chronic active pyogranulomatous inflammation and beaded Gram-positive and acid-fast bacilli situated in lipid vacuoles within the lesion. A rapidly growing Mycobacterium species, shown subsequently to be M. mageritense, was grown from a swab of the primary lesion. It was susceptible to tetracyclines (including doxycycline) and moxifloxacin in vitro. The lesions resolved following treatment with doxycycline monohydrate (50 mg PO once daily) and then moxifloxacin (10 mg/kg PO for 20 days). The infection probably resulted from inoculation of subcutaneous tissues by material containing this Mycobacterium following fight or bite injuries. The presentation is reminiscent of similar lesions attributable to rapidly growing mycobacterial infections of the subcutis observed in domestic cats and quolls.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20529031/