Lee, Chit Wui (2015) Descriptive studies and prevalence of Rhodococcus equi infection in cats presented to the University Veterinary Hospital, UPM from 2009 to 2014. [Project Paper] (Submitted)
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Abstract
Rhodococcus equi is facultative, intracellular, gram positive coccobacilli. The possible routes of R. equi infection in animals are inhalation and ingestion. In cats, R. equi infections can be presented as cutaneous or pulmonary forms (pyothorax). Although there were preliminary descriptive studies on 13 cats and isolated case reports, to date, there is no published prevalence study on R. equi infections in pet cats in Malaysia. The objectives of this study were to determine the (i) prevalence of R. equi infection among cats presented to the Universiti Veterinary Hospital (UVH); (ii) describe the signalment, clinical signs, blood profile, treatment and outcome in R. equi infected cats and (iii) determine the antibiotic sensitivity profiles of R. equi isolates of Malaysian origin. The information on cats positive for R. equi isolates identified from the bacteriology laboratory records from the year 2009 to 2014 were retrieved and the medical records for the affected cats were reviewed from the UVH records retrospectively. Phone interview with owners were conducted to determine the current outcome of the cats that were discharged from the hospital. Associations between clinical outcome and possible risk factors for infection in the cats were identified and statistical analyses such as Chi-square was used to determine the significance (p<0.05). A total of 39 cats with Rhodococcosis were diagnosed over a six-year period. The prevalence of the infection was 0.00165 among all cats that was presented for various reasons to the University Veterinary Hospital from 2009-2014. Majority of cats were less than one year old (55%), with the Domestic Shorthaired breed (77%), male cats (69%), intact (87%) and outdoor managed cats (57%) over-represented. Pulmonary disease (64%) including pyothorax was the predominant form which mostly showed sign of abdominal breathing while cutaneous form includes superficial wounds and ruptured abscess (54.5%). Cytology for 16 cat samples (either from wounds or pyothorax samples) revealed presence of predominantly macrophages (100%) and neutrophils (93.8%) which are typical for infection. Common findings from blood profiles include thrombocytopenia (53.8%), neutrophila (46.2%) and monocytosis (38.7%) while serum biochemistry abnormalities were hypoalbuminemia (23%) and hyperkalemia (23%) and hyperglobulinaemia (19.2%). Other parameters were unremarkable. Antibiotic sensitivity profiles for 13 Rhodococcus isolates from cats revealed a 100% resistance to cephalexin and a high susceptibility to marbofloxacin (100%) and enrofloxacin (91%). No significant (p>0.05) association with age, sex, management, breed, neuter status and whether it was a pulmonary or cutaneous form with the clinical outcome of the cats. A total of 23 cats (59%) died despite exhaustive medical intervention. In conclusion, Rhodococcosis in cats is increasingly important over the recent years and from this study, infected cats showed moderately high mortality. Local R. equi isolates from cats appear to have variable multidrug resistance properties and exclusively resistant to cephalexin. For development of newer therapeutics, future studies should focus on molecular characterization of the local R.equi isolates.
| Item Type: | Project Paper |
|---|---|
| Faculty: | Faculty of Veterinary Medicine |
| Depositing User: | Ms Siti Mariam Giman |
| Date Deposited: | 16 Nov 2022 06:41 |
| Last Modified: | 16 Nov 2022 06:41 |
| URI: | http://psaspb.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/362 |
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