A 14-year-old cat admitted to the University Veterinary Clinic in Italy has recorded the first clinical case of septicemia caused by the pseudotuberculosis bacterium Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. This is reported by the Spanish veterinary portal Animal’s Health, citing a publication in the journal Frontiers.
The first infection of cats with the pseudotuberculosis pathogen was recorded in 1967 in the United Kingdom. Since then, only a few cases of infection have been described, and none of them were accompanied by the detection of the pathogen in blood samples, the publication notes.
The cat was referred to a clinic in Italy with suspected inflammatory or infectious complications related to diabetes mellitus. During the examination, Y. pseudotuberculosis was detected in its blood, and tests confirmed the presence of sepsis. The animal was successfully treated and returned to its owners; however, the authors of the study express concern about the identified disease. They emphasize that there is a risk of domestic cats coming into contact with potential natural reservoirs of the infection, such as birds and rodents.
“This route of transmission should be considered due to the zoonotic potential of the bacteria,” noted the veterinarians. They also highlighted the need for monitoring cats that have access to the outdoors and the opportunity to exhibit hunting behavior, as this will help identify and assess the risks of infection with this dangerous zoonotic pathogen.
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