Clinical description of Corynebacterium urealyticum urinary tract infections in 11 dogs and 10 cats

Abstract

Objectives To examine the clinical signs, laboratory findings, possible predisposing factors, antimicrobial sensitivity and outcomes of dogs and cats diagnosed with urinary tract infection caused by Corynebacterium urealyticum. Materials and Methods Retrospective, observational study of dogs and cats that were diagnosed with urinary tract infection caused by C. urealyticum. Results This report concerns a total of 11 dogs and 10 cats. All cats had a history of urethral catheterisation, and six cats had undergone urological surgery before diagnosis of this specific infection. Dogs had history of neurogenic urinary incontinence (n=5), urethral catheterisation (n=4), urological surgery (n=4), lower urinary tract disease (n=2) or prostatic disease (n=1). In seven animals, previous urine culture was negative. Median urine pH was 8.6 (interquartile range 7.5 to 9), and 19 animals had pyuria and struvite crystalluria. Encrusted cystitis was diagnosed by abdominal ultrasound in nine animals. All but one isolate were resistant to at least three antimicrobial classes. Thirteen isolates were sensitive to tetracyclines. There was bacterial and clinical resolution of the infection in nine dogs and seven cats. Two animals died from sepsis and two cats were euthanased because of clinical deterioration. Clinical Significance Urinary tract infection caused by C. urealyticum should be suspected in animals with pre‐existing urinary disorders, especially if urine is alkaline and there is struvite crystalluria, negative routine urine culture and encrusted cystitis.

Assessment of bacterial and fungal populations in urine from clinically healthy dogs using next‐generation sequencing

“…Aerobic microbial culturing was performed for each urine sample as described above. In all cases, the urine culturing result was "no Staphylococcus, 12,13 Streptococcus, 14 Corynebacterium, 15 Actinomyces, 16 Mycobacterium, 17 Pseudomonas, [18][19][20] Stenotrophomonas, 21 Roseomonas, 22 Prevotella, 23 Nocardia, 24,25 Neisseria, [26][27][28] Mycoplasma, [29][30][31] Moraxella, 32 Micrococcus, 33,34 Enterococcus, 35 Campylobacter, 36 Bacteroides, 37 Anaerococcus, 38 and Actinomyces. 16 In addition, MiDOG LLC has detected Porphyromonas and Peptostreptococcus in a high number of urine samples from dogs with UTI (unpublished data), which is consistent with our findings (Figure 1D).…”

Vasovagal reaction secondary to bladder overdistension in a dog undergoing a unique timeline of medical and surgical treatment for Corynebacterium urealyticum encrusting cystitis: a case report

“…These precipitates, coalescing to form encrustations or plaques, are extremely painful and produce a bladder wall with decreased distensibility [ 1 ]. In dogs and cats, encrusting cystitis is most commonly associated with the gram-positive bacillus Corynebacterium urealyticum ; however, it has also been reported with other urease-producing bacteria such as Staphylococcus pseudintermedius [ 2 – 11 ].…”

“…Treatment modalities employed in human and veterinary patients include systemic and intravesical antibiotic therapy, urinary acidification, and surgical debridement of bladder mucosa to remove calcified plaques [ 1 – 12 ]. Recent veterinary retrospective studies and case reports describe patients with Corynebacterium urealyticum urinary tract infections with and without encrusting cystitis [ 2 – 7 ]. The success rate for infection eradication amongst these 6 studies is 75% (24/32), with 75% (18/24) of the successfully treated cases the result of medical treatment only and 25% (6/24) the result of adjunctive surgical plaque debridement [ 2 – 7 ].…”

“…Recent veterinary retrospective studies and case reports describe patients with Corynebacterium urealyticum urinary tract infections with and without encrusting cystitis [ 2 – 7 ]. The success rate for infection eradication amongst these 6 studies is 75% (24/32), with 75% (18/24) of the successfully treated cases the result of medical treatment only and 25% (6/24) the result of adjunctive surgical plaque debridement [ 2 – 7 ]. Of the 15 reported cases of encrusting cystitis, surgical debridement was only employed in 6 of them [ 2 – 7 ].…”

“…The success rate for infection eradication amongst these 6 studies is 75% (24/32), with 75% (18/24) of the successfully treated cases the result of medical treatment only and 25% (6/24) the result of adjunctive surgical plaque debridement [ 2 – 7 ]. Of the 15 reported cases of encrusting cystitis, surgical debridement was only employed in 6 of them [ 2 – 7 ]. Thus, surgery is used infrequently in cases of Corynebacterium urealyticum encrusting cystitis, limiting our understanding of this modality’s indications and true success rate.…”