title: Fatal nocardiosis in a dog caused by multiresistant Nocardia veterana.
abstract: Among pathogenic Nocardia species in humans and animals, infections caused by Nocardia (N.) veterana have rarely been described and so far, all non-human cases are linked to bovine mastitis in Brazil. The aim of this study was to identify the causative microorganism involved in the death of a three-month-old dog suffering from dyspnea and neurological deficits ante mortem. Pathomorphological investigation revealed (pyo-)granulomatous lesions in various organs. Bacteriological examination was performed and the respective bacteria were subjected to matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), 16S rDNA sequencing, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing by broth microdilution. Gram-staining and colony morphology suggested the presence of an actinomycete which was identified as N. veterana by MALDI-TOF MS. This identification was confirmed by 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Distemper-associated immunosuppression may have played a role in the pathogenesis of systemic nocardiosis in this dog. Retrospective analysis of the antimicrobial susceptibility status showed that the N. veterana isolate was multiresistant and displayed high minimal inhibitory concentrations to all antimicrobial agents used for the dog's therapy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a systemic nocardiosis caused by N. veterana in a dog with a concurrent canine distemper virus infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Ann-Kathrin
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Uhde
authors.affiliation: Chemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt Westfalen, Arnsberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kilwinski
authors.affiliation: Chemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt Westfalen, Arnsberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Jutta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Verspohl
authors.affiliation: Institute of Farm Animal Genetics, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Neustadt-Mariensee, Germany.
authors.forename: Andrea T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Feßler
authors.affiliation: Institute of Farm Animal Genetics, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Neustadt-Mariensee, Germany. Electronic address: stefan.schwarz@fli.bund.de.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: peter.wohlsein@tiho-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wohlsein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D009615:Nocardia / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D009617:Nocardia Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
keywords: Actinomycetes; Antimicrobial susceptibility; Histology; Pathology; Systemic nocardiosis