FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / J Small Anim Pract / Pyogranulomatous skin disease and cellulitis in a cat caused...
The Journal of small animal practice2002; 43(3); 129-132; doi: 10.1111/j.1748-5827.2002.tb00043.x

Pyogranulomatous skin disease and cellulitis in a cat caused by Rhodococcus equi.

Abstract: This report describes a case of Rhodococcus equi infection causing pyogranulomatous skin disease and cellulitis in a two-year-old female domestic shorthaired cat. The case differed from previously reported cases in cats in its clinical presentation and in the locations of the lesions, which were similar to those seen in horses. The presence of an intracellular organism was confirmed by cytology and on histopathology. The aetiological diagnosis was confirmed by routine biochemical tests specific for R. equi on a pure isolate obtained from a biopsy specimen. The report also reviews the literature of the documented feline cases and discusses the common pitfalls in the diagnosis of such infections.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2002-03-28 PubMed ID: 11916057PubMed Central: PMC7166483DOI: 10.1111/j.1748-5827.2002.tb00043.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Case Reports
  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research paper is about a unique case of Rhodococcus equi infection causing skin disease and cellulitis in a cat, with an unusual clinical presentation and lesion locations similar to those seen in horses.

Case Description

  • The researchers document a unique case of a two-year-old female domestic shorthaired cat suffering from Rhodococcus equi infection, which caused a pyogranulomatous skin disease and cellulitis.
  • This particular case differed from previously reported cases in cats, as indicated by the unusual clinical presentation of the illness and the unique locations of the lesions, being similar to those commonly observed in horses suffering from the same infection.

Detection of Intracellular Organism

  • Through cytological tests and histopathology, the researchers were able to confirm the presence of an intracellular organism (the bacterium R. equi) as the cause of the skin disease and cellulitis.

Diagnosis Confirmation

  • The diagnosis was firmly established by performing routine biochemical tests specific to R. equi, which helped identify the bacteria in a pure isolate obtained from a biopsy specimen taken from the cat.

Literature Review and Pitfalls in Diagnosis

  • Moreover, the researchers also undertook an extensive review of literature detailing documented feline cases of R. equi infections, thereby providing an overview of the existing knowledge regarding such infections.
  • In addition, the paper discussed common errors and pitfalls that often occur in the diagnosis of such bacterial infections, emphasizing the need for improved diagnosis procedures to effectively treat the affected subjects.

Cite This Article

APA
Patel A. (2002). Pyogranulomatous skin disease and cellulitis in a cat caused by Rhodococcus equi. J Small Anim Pract, 43(3), 129-132. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-5827.2002.tb00043.x

Publication

The Journal of small animal practice
ISSN: 0022-4510
NlmUniqueID: 0165053
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 43
Issue: 3
Pages: 129-132

Researcher Affiliations

Patel, A

    MeSH Terms

    • Actinomycetales Infections / pathology
    • Actinomycetales Infections / veterinary
    • Animals
    • Cat Diseases / microbiology
    • Cats
    • Cellulitis / complications
    • Cellulitis / microbiology
    • Cellulitis / veterinary
    • Female
    • Granuloma, Pyogenic / complications
    • Granuloma, Pyogenic / microbiology
    • Granuloma, Pyogenic / veterinary
    • Rhodococcus equi / isolation & purification
    • Rhodococcus equi / pathogenicity
    • Skin Diseases / microbiology
    • Skin Diseases / veterinary

    References

    This article includes 18 references
    1. Bowles PM, Woolcock JB, Mutimer MD. The effect of immunosuppression on resistance to Rhodococcus equi in mice.. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 1989 Nov 15;22(4):369-78.
      pubmed: 2483281doi: 10.1016/0165-2427(89)90172-4google scholar: lookup
    2. Carman MG, Hodges RT. Distribution of Rhodococcus equi in animals, birds and from the environment.. N Z Vet J 1987 Jul;35(7):114-5.
      pubmed: 16031395doi: 10.1080/00480169.1987.35402google scholar: lookup
    3. Doig C, Gill MJ, Church DL. Rhodococcus equi--an easily missed opportunistic pathogen.. Scand J Infect Dis 1991;23(1):1-6.
      pubmed: 2028222doi: 10.3109/00365549109023367google scholar: lookup
    4. Elliott G, Lawson GH, Mackenzie CP. Rhodococcus equi infection in cats.. Vet Rec 1986 Jun 21;118(25):693-4.
      pubmed: 3739179doi: 10.1136/vr.118.25.693google scholar: lookup
    5. Fairley RA, Fairley NM. Rhodococcus equi infections of cats. Veterinary Dermatology 10, 43–46.
    6. Giguère S, Prescott JF. Clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of Rhodococcus equi infections in foals.. Vet Microbiol 1997 Jun 16;56(3-4):313-34.
      pubmed: 9226845doi: 10.1016/s0378-1135(97)00099-0google scholar: lookup
    7. Gunn‐Moore D, Shaw S. Mycobacterial disease in the cat. In Practice 19, 493–501.
    8. Hietala SK, Ardans AA. Interaction of Rhodococcus equi with phagocytic cells from R. equi-exposed and non-exposed foals.. Vet Microbiol 1987 Aug;14(3):307-20.
      pubmed: 3672873doi: 10.1016/0378-1135(87)90118-0google scholar: lookup
    9. Higgins R, Paradis M. Abscess caused by Corynebacterium equi in a cat.. Can Vet J 1980 Feb;21(2):63-4.
      pmc: PMC1789679pubmed: 7363263
    10. Hondalus MK. Pathogenesis and virulence of Rhodococcus equi.. Vet Microbiol 1997 Jun 16;56(3-4):257-68.
      pubmed: 9226840doi: 10.1016/s0378-1135(97)00094-1google scholar: lookup
    11. Hondalus MK, Mosser DM. Survival and replication of Rhodococcus equi in macrophages.. Infect Immun 1994 Oct;62(10):4167-75.
      pmc: PMC303092pubmed: 7927672doi: 10.1128/iai.62.10.4167-4175.1994google scholar: lookup
    12. Jang SS, Lock A, Biberstein EL. A cat with Corynebacterium equi lymphadenitis clinically simulating lymphosarcoma.. Cornell Vet 1975 Apr;65(2):232-9.
      pubmed: 1173231
    13. Oxenford CJ, Ratcliffe RC, Ramsay GC. Rhodococcus equi infection in a cat.. Aust Vet J 1987 Apr;64(4):121.
      pubmed: 3619798doi: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1987.tb09649.xgoogle scholar: lookup
    14. Papich MG. Antimicrobial drugs. Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine 4th edn Eds Ettingerand S. J. Feldman E. C. W. B. Saunders, Philadelphia , pp 272–283.
    15. Perdrizet JA, Scott DW. Cellulitis and subcutaneous abscesses caused by Rhodococcus equi infection in a foal.. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1987 Jun 15;190(12):1559-61.
      pubmed: 3610765
    16. Prescott JF. Rhodococcus equi: an animal and human pathogen.. Clin Microbiol Rev 1991 Jan;4(1):20-34.
      pmc: PMC358176pubmed: 2004346doi: 10.1128/cmr.4.1.20google scholar: lookup
    17. Scott DW, Miller WH, Griffin CE. Diagnostic methods. Small Animal Dermatology 6th edn W. B. Saunders, Philadelphia . pp 125–131.
    18. Zink MC, Yager JA, Smart NL. Corynebacterium equi Infections in Horses, 1958-1984: A Review of 131 Cases.. Can Vet J 1986 May;27(5):213-7.
      pmc: PMC1680250pubmed: 17422658

    Citations

    This article has been cited 3 times.
    1. Aslam MW, Lau SF, Chin CSL, Ahmad NI, Rahman NA, Kuppusamy K, Omar S, Radzi R. Clinicopathological and radiographic features in 40 cats diagnosed with pulmonary and cutaneous Rhodococcus equi infection (2012-2018).. J Feline Med Surg 2020 Aug;22(8):774-790.
      doi: 10.1177/1098612X19886395pubmed: 32400257google scholar: lookup
    2. Giuliano A, Watson P, Owen L, Skelly B, Davison L, Dobson J, Costantino-Casas F. Idiopathic sterile pyogranuloma in three domestic cats.. J Small Anim Pract 2020 Mar;61(3):202-205.
      doi: 10.1111/jsap.12853pubmed: 29761888google scholar: lookup
    3. Takai S, Martens RJ, Julian A, Garcia Ribeiro M, Rodrigues de Farias M, Sasaki Y, Inuzuka K, Kakuda T, Tsubaki S, Prescott JF. Virulence of Rhodococcus equi isolated from cats and dogs.. J Clin Microbiol 2003 Sep;41(9):4468-70.
      doi: 10.1128/JCM.41.9.4468-4470.2003pubmed: 12958297google scholar: lookup
    Subscribe to our newsletter
    Join 99,383 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.