AUTHOR=Scarpellini Raffaele , Giunti Massimo , Bulgarelli Cecilia , Mondo Elisabetta , Esposito Erika , Assirelli Giammarco , Piva Silvia 

TITLE=Case report: First isolation of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis from the blood of a cat

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Veterinary Science

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2023

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2023.1261925

DOI=10.3389/fvets.2023.1261925

ISSN=2297-1769

ABSTRACT=A 14 years-old, female domestic short -haired cat with a diagnosed diabetes mellitus and acromegaly was presented for lethargy and dysorexia. On clinical presentation, the patient showed hyperglycemia, hyperthermia, dull mentation and dehydration. With the suspect of an inflammatory or infectious complication of the diabetes, she was hospitalized with constant rate infusion of insulin, and empirical ampicillin sulbactam started. Blood culture revealed positivity for Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and the septic picture was confirmed by blood analysis, with leukocytosis, neutrophilia and an increased serum amyloid A concentration. The isolated Y.pseudotuberculosis strain showed susceptibility to every antimicrobial tested. During the second day of hospitalization, the onset of hypoglycemia and hypotension was treated with norepinephrine and glucose in fluid therapy. The cat recovered well and was discharged with insulin and amoxicillin-clavulanate. This is the first case of septicemia associated with Y.pseudotuberculosis in a cat, suspected of developing the infection after the contact with natural reservoirs such as rodents or birds. This route of transmission should be highlighted especially in relation with the zoonotic potential of the bacteria.