Isolation and characterisation of Staphylococcus saprophyticus responsible for the death of two six‐banded armadillos (Euphractus sexcinctus)

Abstract

Two six‐banded armadillos (Euphractus sexcinctus) suddenly died in a zoo in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China, after exhibiting weak breath, high temperature and nasal bleeding. Postmortem examination revealed dark brown appearance and enlargement of the visceral organs, and several granular white necrotic foci in the spleen and liver of the armadillos. Histological analysis revealed serious congestion, haemorrhage and multiple necrotic foci in the spleen and liver; the lungs exhibited congestion. A bacterium suspected to be responsible for the death of the armadillos was observed in the spleen and lung tissue samples. Several Gram‐positive cocci were observed in impression smear of liver tissue samples. Biochemical analysis and 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that the isolated bacterium was Staphylococcus saprophyticus, and the strain was designated S.S NH2021. Strain S.S NH2021 was resistant only to penicillin. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of S. saprophyticus infection in armadillo.