Listeria monocytogenes Infection in a Sugar Glider (Petaurus breviceps) - New Mexico, 2011

• Published in: Zoonoses and public health Vol. 62; no. 4; pp. 254 - 257
• Main Authors: Nichols, M., Takacs, N., Ragsdale, J., Levenson, D., Marquez, C., Roache, K., Tarr, C. L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.06.2015
• Subjects: Animals; Cucumis melo; Cucumis melo - microbiology; Food Microbiology; Foodborne Diseases - drug therapy; Foodborne Diseases - microbiology; Foodborne Diseases - veterinary; Interviews as Topic; Listeria; Listeria monocytogenes; Listeria monocytogenes - classification; Listeria monocytogenes - genetics; Listeriosis - drug therapy; Listeriosis - microbiology; Listeriosis - transmission; Listeriosis - veterinary; Male; Marsupialia; Marsupials; New Mexico; Petaurus breviceps; sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps); Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination - administration & dosage; Zoonoses; New Mexico; Listeria monocytogenes; sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps)
• ISSN: 1863-1959; 1863-2378
• DOI: 10.1111/zph.12134

Summary Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram‐positive, facultative anaerobic, rod‐shaped bacterium that can infect and cause disease in many species. In this case report, we describe a case of L. monocytogenes infection causing sepsis in a sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps). The sugar glider consumed a varied diet consisting of human food items, including cantaloupe. A nationwide outbreak of L. monocytogenes foodborne illness associated with cantaloupes occurred simultaneously with this incident case. In this case, the bacterial strains from the outbreak and glider were genetically distinct. Although rare, veterinarians should be aware of the emergence of foodborne pathogens' ability to infect exotic animals residing in domestic environments.