Chronic pneumonia caused by Mycobacterium thermoresistibile in a cat

Mycobacterium thermoresistibile was isolated in pure culture from ultrasound-guided pulmonary aspirates taken from a young cat with severe, chronic, pyogranulomatous pneumonia. Thoracic radiography and ultrasonography before therapy demonstrated severe diffuse alveolar disease. Twelve months combination therapy with doxycycline, rifampicin and clarithromycin resolved the infection. Thoracic radiographs taken at the completion of therapy showed multifocal pulmonary mineralisation. M thermoresistibile has been infrequently reported as a human or animal pathogen. This is the first reported pulmonary infection by M thermoresistibile in a cat and documents the successful treatment of the organism in a feline patient.