Fatal Streptococcus anginosus-associated pneumonia in a captive Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii).

BACKGROUND: Bacterial infections commonly affect the lungs and air sacs of orangutans; culture and identification is rarely performed and may have clinical relevance. METHODS: Necropsy, histopathology and bacterial culture were performend on a captive adult male Sumatran orangutan with chronic air sacculitis. Bacterial speciation was confirmed by sequencing of the 16s-23s ribosomal DNA spacer region. RESULTS: Necropsy revealed severe suppurative pneumonia. Moderate growth of Streptoccocus anginosus was recovered from the lungs. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of S. anginosus as a cause of fatal suppurative pneumonia in a non-human primate.