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Septicemia and septic arthritis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae in a cat: possible transmission from a child
B Stallings1, G V Ling, L A Lagenaur
1Small Animal Internal Medicine Service, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis 95616.
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
|September 15, 1987
Insights
A 15-year-old cat developed a severe Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 23F infection, likely transmitted from an infant. This case highlights potential zoonotic transmission of this common bacterium.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
Background:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of bacterial infections in humans.
- Zoonotic transmission of S. pneumoniae is considered rare, especially in adult cats.
Observation:
- A 15-year-old castrated male cat presented with acute illness, exhibiting S. pneumoniae serotype 23F in blood and synovial fluid.
- The same S. pneumoniae serotype 23F was identified in the nasopharynx of an infant child who frequently interacted with the cat.
Findings:
- Bacterial isolates from the cat and child were identical, confirming S. pneumoniae serotype 23F as the causative agent.
- Epidemiological data strongly suggest transmission occurred from the infant to the feline.
Implications:
- This case provides evidence for the potential zoonotic transmission of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 23F from humans to cats.
- Highlights the importance of considering human-to-animal transmission in veterinary infectious disease diagnostics.
Abstract:
Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 23F was isolated from the blood and synovial fluid of an acutely ill, 15-year-old castrated male cat and from the nasopharynx of that regularly played with it, an infant child. Information presented supports the hypothesis that the infection was transmitted from child to cat.