title: Enteric colonization by staphylococcus delphini in four ferret kits with diarrhoea.
abstract: Four, 1-to 4-week-old ferret kits were submitted to the Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health at Michigan State University for post-mortem examination. Grossly, multiple bowel loops in all ferret kits were distended by mucoid faecal material. Microscopically, there was no evidence of inflammation or notable alteration to the normal mucosal morphology. Gram-positive coccoid bacteria colonized variable segments of the small intestine. These bacteria were identified as Staphylococcus delphini by phenotypic and molecular analyses. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of Staphylococcus enterotoxins was positive and polymerase chain reaction detected the gene for Staphylococcus enterotoxin E in the isolates. The hypersecretory diarrhoea in these ferret kits may have been associated with colonization of the small intestine by S. delphini, cultures of which were shown in vitro to be potentially capable of producing enterotoxin E. The condition described in these ferrets is similar to 'sticky' kit syndrome in mink.
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA; Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gary
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA; Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA; Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Langohr
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA; Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bolin
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA; Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bolin
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA; Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA; Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA. Electronic address: kiupel@dcpah.msu.edu.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiupel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005289:Ferrets; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013210:Staphylococcus
keywords: Staphylococcus delphini; ferret kit; staphylococcal enteritis