Detection of a Mixed-Strain Infection with Drug- and Multidrug-Resistant <i>Mycobacterium avium</i> Subspecies <i>hominissuis</i> in a Dog with Generalized Lymphadenomegaly

<b>Background</b> Members of the <i>Mycobacterium avium</i> complex (MAC) have been documented to cause severe and disseminated infections in dogs, although such cases are sporadically reported. In this study, a comprehensive account of a rare case of generalised lymphadenome...

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Main Authors: Cinzia Marianelli, Angelo Leonori, Romana Stecco, Carlo Giannantoni
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Antibiotics
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/4/416
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author Cinzia Marianelli
Angelo Leonori
Romana Stecco
Carlo Giannantoni
author_facet Cinzia Marianelli
Angelo Leonori
Romana Stecco
Carlo Giannantoni
author_sort Cinzia Marianelli
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background</b> Members of the <i>Mycobacterium avium</i> complex (MAC) have been documented to cause severe and disseminated infections in dogs, although such cases are sporadically reported. In this study, a comprehensive account of a rare case of generalised lymphadenomegaly caused by a mixed-strain infection with drug- and multidrug-resistant <i>Mycobacterium avium</i> subspecies <i>hominissuis</i> (Mah) in a Maremma sheepdog is presented. <b>Methods</b> Laboratory investigations, as well as the monitoring of the clinical signs displayed by the animal, were conducted throughout the course of a two-year drug therapy (based on rifampicin, azithromycin, and ciprofloxacin) and a two-year post-treatment follow-up period, until the death of the dog. Laboratory examinations included both solid and broth cultures from fine-needle aspiration samples of lymph nodes, molecular typing by 8-locus MIRUVNTR analysis and SNPs typing of five genetic regions (<i>gyrB</i>, <i>rpsA</i>, <i>3′hsp65</i>, ITS and <i>rpoB</i>), and drug susceptibility testing towards seven antimycobacterial drugs. <b>Results</b> The results indicated the presence of two distinct genotypes of Mah, which exhibited different phenotypic characteristics, such as different drug susceptibility profiles and growth abilities in broth and solid media, suggesting a mixed-strain infection. Resistances to ethambutol alone, to ethambutol and clarithromycin, and to ethambutol, clarithromycin, rifampicin, and doxycycline were detected over the study. <b>Conclusions</b> Although the Mah strains isolated during the course of therapy showed sensitivity to the regiment, the complete eradication of the infection was never achieved. It has been hypothesised that the presence of drug-resistant and multidrug-resistant Mah strains in the animal may have been established at the onset of the infection or soon thereafter. The exposure to therapy has been suggested as a potential factor that could have favoured the growth of resistant strains, thereby rendering the therapy ineffective. The implications that the distinct phenotypic and genotypic profiles of Mah described here may have had for disease dynamics and control are discussed.
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spelling doaj-art-3a001d9bdc3e446c8a57d4df24d105e12025-08-20T03:14:23ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822025-04-0114441610.3390/antibiotics14040416Detection of a Mixed-Strain Infection with Drug- and Multidrug-Resistant <i>Mycobacterium avium</i> Subspecies <i>hominissuis</i> in a Dog with Generalized LymphadenomegalyCinzia Marianelli0Angelo Leonori1Romana Stecco2Carlo Giannantoni3Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, ItalyAmbulatorio Veterinario Leonori, 02032 Fara in Sabina, ItalyAmbulatorio Veterinario Leonori, 02032 Fara in Sabina, ItalyCentro Veterinario Reatino, 02100 Rieti, Italy<b>Background</b> Members of the <i>Mycobacterium avium</i> complex (MAC) have been documented to cause severe and disseminated infections in dogs, although such cases are sporadically reported. In this study, a comprehensive account of a rare case of generalised lymphadenomegaly caused by a mixed-strain infection with drug- and multidrug-resistant <i>Mycobacterium avium</i> subspecies <i>hominissuis</i> (Mah) in a Maremma sheepdog is presented. <b>Methods</b> Laboratory investigations, as well as the monitoring of the clinical signs displayed by the animal, were conducted throughout the course of a two-year drug therapy (based on rifampicin, azithromycin, and ciprofloxacin) and a two-year post-treatment follow-up period, until the death of the dog. Laboratory examinations included both solid and broth cultures from fine-needle aspiration samples of lymph nodes, molecular typing by 8-locus MIRUVNTR analysis and SNPs typing of five genetic regions (<i>gyrB</i>, <i>rpsA</i>, <i>3′hsp65</i>, ITS and <i>rpoB</i>), and drug susceptibility testing towards seven antimycobacterial drugs. <b>Results</b> The results indicated the presence of two distinct genotypes of Mah, which exhibited different phenotypic characteristics, such as different drug susceptibility profiles and growth abilities in broth and solid media, suggesting a mixed-strain infection. Resistances to ethambutol alone, to ethambutol and clarithromycin, and to ethambutol, clarithromycin, rifampicin, and doxycycline were detected over the study. <b>Conclusions</b> Although the Mah strains isolated during the course of therapy showed sensitivity to the regiment, the complete eradication of the infection was never achieved. It has been hypothesised that the presence of drug-resistant and multidrug-resistant Mah strains in the animal may have been established at the onset of the infection or soon thereafter. The exposure to therapy has been suggested as a potential factor that could have favoured the growth of resistant strains, thereby rendering the therapy ineffective. The implications that the distinct phenotypic and genotypic profiles of Mah described here may have had for disease dynamics and control are discussed.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/4/416<i>Mycobacterium avium</i> subspecies <i>hominissuis</i>nontuberculous mycobacteria infectionmixed-strain infectionMIRU-VNTR typingSNPs typing<i>canis lupus</i>
spellingShingle Cinzia Marianelli
Angelo Leonori
Romana Stecco
Carlo Giannantoni
Detection of a Mixed-Strain Infection with Drug- and Multidrug-Resistant <i>Mycobacterium avium</i> Subspecies <i>hominissuis</i> in a Dog with Generalized Lymphadenomegaly
Antibiotics
<i>Mycobacterium avium</i> subspecies <i>hominissuis</i>
nontuberculous mycobacteria infection
mixed-strain infection
MIRU-VNTR typing
SNPs typing
<i>canis lupus</i>
title Detection of a Mixed-Strain Infection with Drug- and Multidrug-Resistant <i>Mycobacterium avium</i> Subspecies <i>hominissuis</i> in a Dog with Generalized Lymphadenomegaly
title_full Detection of a Mixed-Strain Infection with Drug- and Multidrug-Resistant <i>Mycobacterium avium</i> Subspecies <i>hominissuis</i> in a Dog with Generalized Lymphadenomegaly
title_fullStr Detection of a Mixed-Strain Infection with Drug- and Multidrug-Resistant <i>Mycobacterium avium</i> Subspecies <i>hominissuis</i> in a Dog with Generalized Lymphadenomegaly
title_full_unstemmed Detection of a Mixed-Strain Infection with Drug- and Multidrug-Resistant <i>Mycobacterium avium</i> Subspecies <i>hominissuis</i> in a Dog with Generalized Lymphadenomegaly
title_short Detection of a Mixed-Strain Infection with Drug- and Multidrug-Resistant <i>Mycobacterium avium</i> Subspecies <i>hominissuis</i> in a Dog with Generalized Lymphadenomegaly
title_sort detection of a mixed strain infection with drug and multidrug resistant i mycobacterium avium i subspecies i hominissuis i in a dog with generalized lymphadenomegaly
topic <i>Mycobacterium avium</i> subspecies <i>hominissuis</i>
nontuberculous mycobacteria infection
mixed-strain infection
MIRU-VNTR typing
SNPs typing
<i>canis lupus</i>
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/4/416
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