K Hahn1, I B Veiga2,3, M Schediwy1,4, D Wiederkehr5, M Meniri6, M Schneeberger7, P Rüegg-van den Broek8, C Gurtner1, N J Fasel9, S Kittl10, M Fredriksson-Ahomaa11, S Schmitt7, N Stokar-Regenscheit1. 1. Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute of Animal Pathology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. 2. Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute of Animal Pathology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. ines.veiga@vetsuisse.unibe.ch. 3. Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern, Switzerland. ines.veiga@vetsuisse.unibe.ch. 4. Vetmedics Praxis Dr. Schediwy GmbH, Muri-Gümligen, Switzerland. 5. Department of Agronomy, School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Zollikofen, Switzerland. 6. Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland. 7. Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene, Section of Veterinary Bacteriology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. 8. Foundation Papiliorama, Kerzers, Switzerland. 9. Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland. 10. Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. 11. Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Between February and April 2016, a slight increase in mortality was observed in a colony consisting of 400 captive Seba's short-tailed bats (Carollia perspicillata). These animals cohabited with other nocturnal animal species in a dome of a private zoo in Switzerland. RESULTS: Gross and histological analysis of two (14.3%) out of the 13 animals submitted for necropsy within this period revealed a necrosuppurative pneumonia, hepatitis, splenitis, enterocolitis, and endometritis, with abundant intralesional colonies of Gram-negative rods. Yersinia (Y.) pseudotuberculosis serotype O:1 and biotype 1 belonging to the sequence type ST90 was isolated from the affected organs in both animals. Following this diagnosis, ¼ of the colony (99 animals) was culled and submitted for gross and histopathological analysis, and a bacterial culture selective for Yersinia spp. of lung, liver, and spleen was performed. From these 99 animals, one gravid female was tested and found to be positive for Y. pseudotuberculosis in the absence of clinical symptoms and histopathological lesions. PCR analysis of altogether three bacterial isolates for virulence factors revealed the presence of the ail gene, and one isolate was also positive for the virF and yadA plasmid genes. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that Carollia perspicillata are susceptible to lethal yersiniosis but do not represent a regular reservoir for Y. pseudotuberculosis. Culling of ¼ of the population was sufficient to limit the spread of this infection among the colony. Moreover, no infections were detected in cohabitant nocturnal animals and caretakers, indicating that the zoonotic risk in this case was low.
BACKGROUND: Between February and April 2016, a slight increase in mortality was observed in a colony consisting of 400 captive Seba's short-tailed bats (Carollia perspicillata). These animals cohabited with other nocturnal animal species in a dome of a private zoo in Switzerland. RESULTS: Gross and histological analysis of two (14.3%) out of the 13 animals submitted for necropsy within this period revealed a necrosuppurative pneumonia, hepatitis, splenitis, enterocolitis, and endometritis, with abundant intralesional colonies of Gram-negative rods. Yersinia (Y.) pseudotuberculosis serotype O:1 and biotype 1 belonging to the sequence type ST90 was isolated from the affected organs in both animals. Following this diagnosis, ¼ of the colony (99 animals) was culled and submitted for gross and histopathological analysis, and a bacterial culture selective for Yersinia spp. of lung, liver, and spleen was performed. From these 99 animals, one gravid female was tested and found to be positive for Y. pseudotuberculosis in the absence of clinical symptoms and histopathological lesions. PCR analysis of altogether three bacterial isolates for virulence factors revealed the presence of the ail gene, and one isolate was also positive for the virF and yadA plasmid genes. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that Carollia perspicillata are susceptible to lethal yersiniosis but do not represent a regular reservoir for Y. pseudotuberculosis. Culling of ¼ of the population was sufficient to limit the spread of this infection among the colony. Moreover, no infections were detected in cohabitant nocturnal animals and caretakers, indicating that the zoonotic risk in this case was low.
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