Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Mycobacterial infections in cats - prevention and care guidelines
By Lloret, Albert et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2013·European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases. Albert.LLoret@uab.cat·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Mycobacterioses in cats: ABCD guidelines on prevention and management.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A cat with skin nodules and draining sores was diagnosed with a mycobacterial infection, which can be tricky to identify. These infections can cause serious issues, including tuberculosis and leprosy, and often require a combination of two or three antibiotics for several months to treat effectively. This can be challenging for cat owners, especially since the treatment must be followed closely. It's also important to note that some types of these infections can pose a risk to humans, particularly for those with weakened immune systems.
People also search for: cat skin nodules treatment · mycobacterial infection in cats · antibiotics for cat skin infection · zoonotic risks from cats
Abstract
OVERVIEW: Mycobacterial infections are important in humans and animals. Cats can be infected by several Mycobacterium species, which may cause different syndromes, mainly tuberculosis, atypical or non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis and leprosy. In recent years, awareness has increased about how to recognise and confirm these infections. More cases are diagnosed today, which probably means that the disease has escaped detection in the past. INFECTION: Most cases in cats are cutaneous, presenting as nodules in the skin and draining tracts, ulceration and local lymphadenopathy; however, systemic dissemination may also occur. DIAGNOSIS: Definitive diagnosis is difficult when the bacterium cannot be detected by histology or culture. However, species confirmation is essential for treatment and prognosis, so material for culture and polymerase chain reaction should be submitted in every suspected case. TREATMENT: Treatment is challenging. A combination of two or three antibiotics is needed, and treatment must be continued for some months, which makes owner compliance especially difficult in cats. ZOONOTIC RISK: There is a zoonotic risk associated with some mycobacterial species. Concerns should be communicated in every case of an immunocompromised owner in contact with an infected cat.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23813823/