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Unusual Presentation of Feline Leprosy Caused by <i>Mycobacterium lepraemurium</i> in the Alpine Region
oleh: Giovanni Ghielmetti, Sarah Schmitt, Ute Friedel, Franco Guscetti, Ladina Walser-Reinhardt
Format: | Article |
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Diterbitkan: | MDPI AG 2021-06-01 |
Deskripsi
A 9-year-old cat was referred with multiple, raised, ulcerative and non-ulcerative nodules in the periocular area, sclera and ear-base region, and on the ventral aspect of the tongue. In addition, a progressive ulcerative skin nodule on the tail was observed. Fine-needle aspirations of multiple nodules from the eyelid and sclera revealed the presence of histiocytes with numerous acid-fast intracellular bacilli. The replication of slowly growing mycobacteria in liquid media was detected from biopsied nodules after three months of incubation. The molecular characterization of the isolate identified <i>Mycobacterium (M.) lepraemurium</i> as the cause of the infection. The cat was treated with a combination of surgical excision and a four-week course of antimicrobial therapy including rifampicin combined with clarithromycin. This is an unusual manifestation of feline leprosy and the first molecularly confirmed <i>M. lepraemurium</i> infection in a cat with ocular involvement in Europe. The successful combination of a surgical and antimycobacterial treatment regimen is reported.