Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Snow leopard with neurological signs dies from rare infection
By Yamaguchi, R et al.·Published in Journal of comparative pathology·2012·Azabu University, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Purulent meningoventriculitis caused by Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus in a snow leopard (Panthera uncia).
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 16-year-old male snow leopard showed signs of neurological problems and sadly passed away about a month later. The cause was identified as an infection from a rare bacteria called Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus, which is usually associated with respiratory issues in animals and humans. During the examination after death, the vet found swelling in the brain's blood vessels and cloudy cerebrospinal fluid. This case is particularly notable as it is the first time this infection has been reported in a big cat, and the leopard likely contracted it from eating horse meat.
People also search for: snow leopard neurological signs · Streptococcus equi infection in cats · causes of meningitis in big cats
Abstract
Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (SEZ) is a zoonotic pathogen that causes respiratory tract infections in man and animals. SEZ infections are very rare in felids. This report describes purulent meningoventriculitis caused by SEZ in an approximately 16-year-old male snow leopard (Panthera uncia). The animal exhibited neurological signs and died 1 month after their onset. On necropsy examination, the surface blood vessels of the brain were swollen and there was an increased volume and turbidity of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Microscopically, suppurative inflammation accompanied by gram-positive cocci was observed in the meninges and near the ventricles. SEZ was isolated from the brain tissue and CSF. This is the first report of infection with SEZ in a felid other than a domestic cat. This animal had not had direct contact with horses, but it had been fed horse flesh that may have been the source of infection.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22516084/