Corynebacterium ulceransIsolated from an Asymptomatic Dog Kept in an Animal Shelter in the Metropolitan Area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract

Corynebacterium ulcerans was isolated from nares of one asymptomatic dog kept in an animal shelter in the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The RNA polymerase beta subunit-encoding gene was sequenced to confirm the species identity. C. ulcerans strains producing phospholipase D, but not diphtheria toxin, are able to cause severe disease in humans, such as pneumonia and granulomatous nodules in pulmonary tissues. The infection rate varies really widely by region, probably because of the variations in the reported infection rates. Dogs with unapparent C. ulcerans infections may be considered as potentially capable of infecting other animals and humans, including pet owners. Medical and veterinary staff should be aware that asymptomatic animals can carry C. ulcerans and cooperate in eliminating infections and monitoring animals also in the developing countries.

Colonization of human epithelial cell lines by Corynebacterium ulcerans from human and animal sources

“…In 2011, two non-toxigenic C. ulcerans strains from the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were sequenced: BR-AD22, isolated from an asymptomatic dog, and 809, isolated from an 80-year-old woman with fatal pulmonary infection Dias et al, 2010;Trost et al, 2011). Based on these genome sequences and comparative genomics approaches, a number of putative virulence factors were annotated; however, functional data were scarce.…”

Corynebacterium species nasal carriage in pigs and their farmers in Bavaria, Germany: implications for public health

“…So far, C ulcerans prevalence data in asymptomatic animals are published only for shelter dogs in Osaka, Japan (Katsukawa and others 2009, Katsukawa and others 2012), and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Dias and others 2010), showing carriage rates of 1.5 per cent (one toxigenic strain in 65 dogs; Katsukawa and others 2012), 7.5 per cent (42 toxigenic and 3 non-toxigenic strains from 583 dogs, one of them harbouring both a toxigenic and a non-toxigenic strain; Katsukawa and others 2009) and 1.7 per cent (one non-toxigenic strain in 60 dogs; Dias and others 2010), respectively.…”

Comparative Genomics and Pathogenicity Islands of Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Corynebacterium ulcerans, and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis

“…The patient died 23 days after hospitalization despite an intensive medical treatment (MattosGuaraldi et al 2008). C. ulcerans BR-AD22 was recovered from a nasal sample of a young asymptomatic dog that was kept in an animal shelter in Rio de Janeiro (Dias et al 2010). The complete genome sequences of C. ulcerans 809 and C. ulcerans BR-AD22 were determined by pyrosequencing with the Roche/454 Genome Sequencer FLX System.…”