Primary ocular melioidosis due to a single genotype of Burkholderia pseudomallei in two cats from Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia.
Melioidosis was diagnosed in two domestic crossbred cats presented for unilateral ocular disease. One patient was born and bred in Nhulunbuy, Arnhem Land, while the other had moved there 6 months previously from Townsville, Queensland. Both patients were presented with sudden onset of a 'red eye' and blepharospasm, which progressed to an enlarged, painful, firm globe with loss of pupillary light reflexes and vision. An obvious primary focus of infection outside the eye was not detected in either cat. In both patients, the affected eye was surgically removed and vitreal culture revealed a pure growth of Burkholderia pseudomallei. In each instance, the infection had penetrated the sclera to produce retrobulbar cellulitis, and in one case frank retrobulbar abscessation. Histologically, there was a pyogranulomatous uveitis with extensive destruction of intraocular structures. The first case was still alive approximately 1 year following enucleation and limited antimicrobial therapy using amoxicillin clavulanate and doxycycline. The second was euthanased when a localised abscess developed on the same side of the face as the healed surgical incision, despite appropriate antimicrobial therapy. Both cases were caused by the same multilocus sequence type of B pseudomallei (ST 116), which had only been isolated previously from two human patients, both living in the same isolated geographical area as the cats of this report. Apart from the geographical clustering, no epidemiological links were evident between the two cats and/or the two people. The presumptive pathogenesis of these infections is discussed in relation to current knowledge about melioidosis in northern Australia.
Gove Vet Clinic, Northern Territory, Australia.
Helen M
HM
Parkes
Catherine M
CM
Shilton
Ian V
IV
Jerrett
Suresh
S
Benedict
Brian G
BG
Spratt
Daniel
D
Godoy
Carolyn R
CR
O'Brien
Mark B
MB
Krockenberger
Mark
M
Mayo
Bart J
BJ
Currie
Richard
R
Malik
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016957:Burkholderia pseudomallei / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002415:Cats; D037901:Euthanasia, Animal; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008554:Melioidosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015876:Northern Territory; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents