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

• Published in: Journal of medical primatology Vol. 43; no. 1; pp. 48 - 51
• Main Authors: Ihms, E.A., Daniels, J.B., Koivisto, C.S., Barrie, M.T., Russell, D.S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Denmark Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.02.2014
• Subjects: air sacculitis; Animals; Ape Diseases - diagnosis; Ape Diseases - microbiology; Ape Diseases - physiopathology; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer - genetics; Fatal Outcome; Male; Milleri group streptococci; Molecular Sequence Data; non‐human primate; Pneumonia, Bacterial - diagnosis; Pneumonia, Bacterial - microbiology; Pneumonia, Bacterial - physiopathology; Pneumonia, Bacterial - veterinary; Polymerase Chain Reaction - veterinary; Pongo abelii; Primates; Sequence Analysis, DNA; sinusitis; Streptococcal Infections - diagnosis; Streptococcal Infections - microbiology; Streptococcal Infections - physiopathology; Streptococcal Infections - veterinary; Streptococcus; Streptococcus anginosus - classification; Streptococcus anginosus - genetics; Streptococcus anginosus - isolation & purification; sinusitis; non-human primate; air sacculitis; Milleri group streptococci
• ISSN: 0047-2565; 1600-0684
• DOI: 10.1111/jmp.12085

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.