ABSTRACT
A 48-yr-old female Asian elephant with a history of pododermatitis developed recurrent hematuria beginning in 2002. Transrectal ultrasonography and endoscopic examination in 2004 identified the uterus as the source of hematuria and excluded hemorrhagic cystitis. Treatment with Desloreline implants, antibiotics, and homeopathic drugs led to an improved general condition of the elephant. In July 2005, the elephant was suddenly found dead. During necropsy, the severely enlarged uterus contained about 250 L of purulent fluid, and histopathology revealed ulcerative suppurative endometritis with high numbers of Streptococcus equi ssp. zooepidemicus and Escherichia coli identified on aerobic culture. Additional findings at necropsy included: multifocal severe pododermatitis, uterine leiomyoma, and numerous large calcified areas of abdominal fat necrosis. Microbiologic culture of the pododermatitis lesion revealed the presence of Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus equi ssp. zooepidemicus, Staphylococcus sp., Corynebacterium sp., and Entercoccus sp.
Subject(s)
Elephants , Endometritis/veterinary , Escherichia coli Infections/veterinary , Streptococcal Infections/veterinary , Streptococcus equi/isolation & purification , Animals , Chronic Disease , Diagnosis, Differential , Endometritis/complications , Endometritis/diagnosis , Escherichia coli/isolation & purification , Escherichia coli Infections/complications , Escherichia coli Infections/diagnosis , Fatal Outcome , Female , Foot Dermatoses/complications , Foot Dermatoses/diagnosis , Foot Dermatoses/veterinary , Hematuria/etiology , Hematuria/veterinary , Leiomyomatosis/complications , Leiomyomatosis/diagnosis , Leiomyomatosis/veterinary , Streptococcal Infections/complications , Streptococcal Infections/diagnosis , Uterine Neoplasms/complications , Uterine Neoplasms/diagnosis , Uterine Neoplasms/veterinarySubject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/administration & dosage , Medicine, Traditional , Pharyngitis/therapy , Administration, Oral , Homeopathy , Humans , Pharyngitis/etiology , Phytotherapy , Streptococcal Infections/diagnosis , Streptococcal Infections/therapy , Tonsillitis/diagnosis , Tonsillitis/therapy , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
An outbreak of pseudobacteremia due to Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococci [GAS]) and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) was traced to the venting procedure for aerobic bottles prior to their loading into the incubator of the BacT/Alert analyzer (Organon Teknika). Bacteria shed by a laboratory worker suffering from impetigo and cellulitis contaminated the aerobic bottles of 10 patients. All blood culture isolates, in addition to the isolates from the laboratory worker, were of the same GAS M and T types. All MSSA isolates from blood cultures and the index case's hands had the same lytic phage profile. Procedural breakdowns were identified in the laboratory. Bottles were vented outside the biological safety cabinet, gloves were not worn, and unprotected needles were used for the venting procedure. The source of the aspirated bacteria that contaminated the bottles was identified and the index case was treated promptly.