Cutaneous Pyogranulomas Associated with Nocardia jiangxiensis in a Cat from the Eastern Caribbean.

Adam Silkworth,Pompei Bolfa,Anne A.M.J. Becker,Ryan Cavanaugh

doi:10.3390/tropicalmed4040130

Abstract

Nocardia spp. are worldwide, ubiquitous zoonotic bacteria that have the ability to infect humans as well as domestic animals. Herein, we present a case of a five-year-old female spayed domestic shorthair cat (from the island of Nevis) with a history of a traumatic skin wound on the ventral abdomen approximately two years prior to presenting to the Ross University Veterinary Clinic. The cat presented with severe dermatitis and cellulitis on the ventral caudal abdomen, with multiple draining tracts and sinuses exuding purulent material. Initial bacterial culture yielded Corynebacterum spp. The patient was treated symptomatically with antibiotics for 8 weeks. The cat re-presented 8 weeks after the initial visit with worsening of the abdominal lesions. Surgical intervention occurred at that time, and histopathology and tissue cultures confirmed the presence of Nocardia spp.-induced pyogranulomatous panniculitis, dermatitis, and cellulitis. Pre-operatively, the patient was found to be feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-positive. The patient was administered trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMS) after antimicrobial sensitivity testing. PCR amplification and 16S rRNA gene sequencing confirmed Nocardia jiangxiensis as the causative agent. To our knowledge, N. jiangxiensis has not been previously associated with disease. This case report aims to highlight the importance of a much-needed One Health approach using advancements in technology to better understand the zoonotic potential of Nocardia spp. worldwide.

Highlights

Nocardiosis is a potentially zoonotic disease affecting both humans and animals worldwide
The most common presentation in domestic animals is cutaneous, whereas the most common presentation in humans tends to be the pulmonary form; all forms have been reported in both animals and humans [1,4]
We describe a case of an immunocompromised cat infected with the cutaneous form of Nocardia jiangxiensis on the Caribbean island of Nevis, in the Federation of St

Summary

Introduction

Nocardiosis is a potentially zoonotic disease affecting both humans and animals worldwide. The veterinarian Edmond Nocard, who isolated a Gram-positive organism thought to be the causative agent in a case of bovine farcy, reported the first documented case of Nocardia in an animal in 1888 on the island of Guadeloupe in the West Indies. This strain was given the name Nocardia farcinica in 1889 by Trevisan, who defined the genus that included Nocard’s N. farcinica isolate and five other similar species [7]. This is the first known identification of N. jiangxiensis associated with clinical disease in a human or animal species, to the author’s knowledge

Case Presentation

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Ethics Statement