Multi-locus sequence typing of Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus strains isolated from cats

Abstract

Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus ( S. zooepidemicus) causes outbreaks of fatal respiratory disease in dog shelters and fatal respiratory and neurologic disease in cat shelters. We conducted multi-locus sequence typing analysis on S. zooepidemicus isolates from 5 Canadian and 3 Israeli cats with severe respiratory and neurologic disease, plus 1 isolate from a clinically normal shelter cat. Our aim was to determine if feline outbreaks are clonal and whether there is commonality between feline and canine strains. ST363 was identified as the causative strain of a Canadian outbreak of S. zooepidemicus-linked disease, and is a double-locus variant of ST173, which was isolated from one of the Israeli cats. ST363 was also isolated from the clinically normal cat, indicative of the potential for enzootic infection in shelters. Strains within the ST173 clonal complex were responsible for 2 large canine outbreaks in the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as the death of 1 cat in the United States outbreak. ST215 was isolated from 2 cats in the Israeli outbreak, and is unrelated to the ST173 complex. We conclude that S. zooepidemicus outbreaks in cat shelters are clonal and that strains within the ST173 clonal complex are pathogenic for both dogs and cats.

Prospective bacterial and fungal sources of hyaluronic acid: A review

“…Its main drawback is its high pathogenicity. S. zooepidemicus is an opportunistic pathogen that causes both respiratory [188] and neurological [189] , [190] diseases of varying severity, namely pneumonia [191] , [192] , meningitis [193] , [194] , purulent pericarditis [195] , bacterial arthritis [196] and endometritis [197] , affecting multiple mammal species, in particular, dogs [198] , [199] , horses [200] , [201] , sheep [202] , pigs [203] , cats [204] , [205] , rodents [206] and humans [207] , [208] .…”

Pathogenicity and drug resistance of animal streptococci responsible for human infections

“…SEZ infects wild, farm and even domestic animals, such as dogs and cats [68,83,85]. SEZ causes infections of the nasopharynx, lungs, lymph nodes and [191] the urinary tract in animals [82,86,87]. This microorganism caused an epidemic of respiratory diseases among several thousand Icelandic horses in 2010 [68,83,88].…”

Diagnosis, Surveillance and Management of Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus Infections in Chinchillas (Chinchilla lanigera)

“…9,23 This pathogen has been found to cause disease in a variety of animals, including horses, pigs, chickens, monkeys, ruminants, cats, dogs, guinea pigs, and humans. 2,8,12,14,20,21,34 In horses it is one of the most common commensal organisms found in the upper respiratory and urogenital tracts, as well as on the skin. 7,9,23 Although more often caused by Streptococcus equi subsp.…”