Peracute Bacterial Meningitis due to Infection with Klebsiella pneumoniae in Captive-bred Ruffed Lemurs (Varecia variegate).
We describe the development of neurological signs in four juvenile black-and-white ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegate), housed at a petting zoo in Japan. The clinical course was severe, with three lemurs dying within 1 day of the appearance of clinical signs. The other lemur was treated and survived. Pathological analyses demonstrated meningitis and the presence of gram-negative bacilli in the cerebrum, cerebellum, palatine tonsil and liver. Klebsiella pneumoniae was isolated from the brain of all of the dead lemurs. Multilocus sequence typing analysis showed that all the isolates were sequence type 86 (ST86). To our knowledge, this is the first determination of K. pneumoniae infection in ruffed lemurs of this genus. K. pneumoniae infection may represent a risk to lemurs and people who come into contact with infected animals.
Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, 1-17-71 Fuchinobe, Chuo-ku, Kanagawa, Japan.
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Sasaki
Division of Pathobiological Analysis, School of Veterinary Medicine, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonancho, Musashino, Tokyo, Japan.
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Tokiwa
Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, 1-17-71 Fuchinobe, Chuo-ku, Kanagawa, Japan.
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Tsugo
Nasu World Monkey Park, 6146 Takakukou, Nasu-machi, Tochigi, Japan.
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Higashi
Nasu World Monkey Park, 6146 Takakukou, Nasu-machi, Tochigi, Japan.
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Hori
Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, 1-17-71 Fuchinobe, Chuo-ku, Kanagawa, Japan. Electronic address: une@azabu-u.ac.jp.
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Une
D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo / Q000382:microbiology*; D007710:Klebsiella Infections / Q000662:veterinary*; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae; D007900:Lemur / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000662:veterinary*
Klebsiella pneumoniae; meningitis; multilocus sequence typing; ruffed lemur