Outbreak of Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus infection in a group of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).
BACKGROUND
A severe upper respiratory tract infection occurred in a breeding group of rhesus monkeys housed together in one of six indoor/outdoor corals of the German Primate Center. The clinical signs of the disease included severe purulent conjunctivitis, rhinitis, pharyngitis, respiratory distress and lethargy. Six of 45 animals died within a few days after developing signs of infection.


RESULTS
Histopathologic and microbiologic examinations of the dead animals were consistent with a severe fibrinopurulent bronchopneumonia. Microbiology revealed a Lancefield group C streptococcus identified as Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus as the causative agent of infection.


CONCLUSIONS
The infection was passed on from animal to animal but did not spread to the other five breeding groups nearby. Extensive diagnostic testing failed to reveal the consisting presence of copathogens in individual cases. A visitor with upper respiratory disease was suspected as source of infection.
Mätz-Rensing
K
K
Department of Pathology, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany. kmaetz@gwdg.de
Winkelmann
J
J
Becker
T
T
Burckhardt
I
I
van der Linden
M
M
Köndgen
S
S
Leendertz
F
F
Kaup
F-J
FJ
D000818:Animals; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D008992:Monkey Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D018502:Streptococcus equi / Q000302:isolation & purification*