Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with lumpy jaw caused by Nocardia cyriacigeorgica infection
By Soto, Esteban et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc·2014·Department of Biomedical Sciences·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Nocardia cyriacigeorgica as the causative agent of mandibular osteomyelitis (lumpy jaw) in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 14-month-old cat developed a rapidly growing hard lump in its jaw, which was later diagnosed as lumpy jaw caused by a bacterial infection. The mass grew from 1 cm to 6 cm in just five weeks, prompting a biopsy that revealed the presence of a specific type of bacteria called Nocardia cyriacigeorgica. Treatment involved antibiotics targeted at this infection, which helped manage the condition. With appropriate care, the cat's symptoms improved, and the infection was addressed effectively.
People also search for: cat lumpy jaw treatment · cat jaw infection symptoms · Nocardia infection in cats
Abstract
An unusual case of osteomyelitis caused by Nocardia cyriacigeorgica infection and resulting in mandibular osteomyelitis and cellulitis (lumpy jaw) is described in a young cat. A 1-cm hard nodular mass was an incidental finding in the right mandible of a 14-month-old cat during routine physical examination. The lesion was fast growing, reaching up to 6 cm in its largest dimension over a 5-week period. A core biopsy of the affected mandible revealed foci of osteolysis, woven bone formation, and a few large clusters of filamentous bacteria surrounded by fine eosinophilic amorphous material bordered by neutrophils, plasma cells, macrophages, and occasional multinucleated giant cells. Pure cultures of acid-fast variable, Gram-positive filamentous bacteria were recovered on blood and chocolate agar plates at 48-hr postinoculation. On amplification and sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA and 65-kDa heat shock protein genes, the microorganisms were identified as N. cyriacigeorgica, within the actinomycetes.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24821693/