title: Fatal pneumonia caused by Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) in a juvenile cat recovered from an animal hoarding incident.
abstract: The current study describes isolation of Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) from a juvenile male cat that died after being rescued from an animal hoarding incident. Grossly, there was evidence of pneumonia and renal abscessation. Histologically, there was diffuse interstitial pneumonia with necrosis and necrotizing and suppurative nephritis with colonies of coccobacilli. Within the lung, kidney, and mesentery there was necrotizing and suppurative vasculitis with thrombosis and coccobacilli. E. coli strain belonging to serotype O6:H1 that carried many of the virulence genes associated with ExPEC was isolated from the lung and kidney. The cat was part of a community of approximately 60 cats that lived in a house in a residential neighborhood, in which multiple cats had died. The case was of major significance to public health, as first responders, animal health professionals, and other community members were likely exposed to ExPEC, which is known to have zoonotic potential. It is important that pet owners, animal health and public health professionals, and first responders be made aware of the potential for zoonotic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Jason W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: Elisabeth L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kocher
authors.forename: Subhashinie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kariyawasam
authors.forename: Chitrita
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: DebRoy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D002415:Cats; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D007668:Kidney / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009393:Nephritis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000209:etiology*; D012703:Serotyping; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D037521:Virulence Factors
keywords: Cats; ExPEC; Hoarding; Pneumonia