Spontaneous outbreak of Yersinia enterocolitica infection and co-infection with Escherichia coli in black-tufted marmosets (Callithrix penicillata)

Abstract

Yersiniosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease that affects humans and animals, including primates. The aim of the study was to report one case of fatal Yersinia enterocolitica infection and two cases of co-infection with Escherichia coli in captive black tufted marmosets (Callithrix penicillata) in Apucarana, Paraná, south Brazil. The affected animals presented severe diarrhea and progressed to death. Gross examination showed multifocal to coalescing necrosis in the liver, mild diffuse hepatomegaly, mild diffuse necrotizing enteritis, moderate splenomegaly and focally extensive hyperemia of the leptomeninges. Microscopically, the liver lesions comprised multifocal areas of lytic necrosis with intralesional colonies of gram-negative coccobacilli, characterizing a severe, random, multifocal to coalescing necrotizing hepatitis. A moderate multifocal lymphocytic cholangiohepatitis, severe focally extensive mucosal necrosis in the small intestine, and mild multifocal lymphoplasmacytic leptomeningitis in the brain were observed. Two cases of co-infection by Y. enterocolitica and E. coli, and one case by Y. enterocolitica were confirmed through bacterial culture, biochemical characteristics and 16S rRNA. To the best of the author’s knowledge, it is the first report of an infection of Y. enterocolitica and co-infection with E. coli in black-tufted marmosets resulting in diarrhea, septicemia and death.

Fatal yersiniosis by Yersinia enterocolitica in a brown titi monkey (Plecturocebus brunneus)

“…Gross and histological findings of this case are similar to the current literature of yersiniosis in NHP (POELMA et al, 1977;BAKKER et al, 2007;HABLOLVARID et al, 2008;NAKAMURA et al, 2010;SOTO et al, 2013;MÄTZ-RENSING & LOWENSTINE, 2018;LEMOS et al, 2021). Necrosuppurative hepatosplenitis, ulcerative colitis, and reactive lymphoid hyperplasia are frequently described (BAKKER et al, 2007;NAKAMURA et al, 2010;SOTO et al, 2013).…”

“…Clinical presentation of acute cases of yersiniosis is largely variable across different NHP species. Affected animals can die without clinical signs or may have diarrhea, lethargy, and/or dehydration (POELMA et al, 1977;BAKKER et al, 2007;HABLOLVARID et al, 2008;NAKAMURA et al, 2010;SOTO et al, 2013;LEMOS et al, 2021). Lethargy was the only clinical sign seen in our case.…”

Infectious diseases of neotropical primates

“…Diagnostic can be performed by histopathology and IHC, confirmed by bacterial culture (15,116,140). Co-infection with E. coli was recently described in nine wild caught marmosets (Callithrix penicillata) presenting diarrhea and 100% of lethality (95). Although this disease is high relevant in captive NWP, the importance in free-ranging animals is unknown, with no reports in the literature.…”