title: Feline mycobacterial infections.
abstract: Mycobacteria of feline importance include (1) obligate pathogens (tuberculosis), (2) mycobacteria that are difficult to grow, so the environmental niche is unknown (feline leprosy syndrome), and (3) facultative pathogenic opportunistic saprophytes (non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis). Most cats present with cutaneous disease, although some have systemic involvement. Diagnosis is challenging because there are no pathognomonic histopathological changes and many mycobacteria fail to culture, so molecular diagnostics are required. Treatment can involve extended multidrug therapy and prognosis is variable. This article reviews the microbiology, clinical diagnosis, management and prognosis of feline mycobacterial infections.
authors.affiliation: Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Roslin EH25 9RG, UK. Electronic address: Danielle.Gunn-Moore@ed.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Danièlle A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Gunn-Moore
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D002415:Cats; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Feline leprosy syndrome; Feline mycobacterial infections; Mycobacterium bovis; Mycobacterium microti; Non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis