Mycobacterium intracellulare infection in a capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)

PEZZONE N; EBERHARDT AT; FERNÁNDEZ A; GARBACCIO S; ZUMÁRRAGA M; GIOFFRÉ A; MAGNI C; BELDOMENICO PM; MARINI MR; CANAL AM

JOURNAL OF ZOO AND WILDLIFE MEDICINE

AMER ASSOC ZOO VETERINARIANS

Año: 2013 vol. 44 p. 1098 - 1101

1042-7260

This report describes the case of a captive-bred young capybara that had a mesenteric mycobacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium intracellulare. This is the first description of Mycobacterium intracellulare infection with typical granulomatous lesions of mycobacteriosis in a capybara (Hydrocherus hydrocheris). We confirmed mycobacterial infection by bacteriological culture and molecular identification methods (PCRs aimed at Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex detection IS6110 and hsp65 gene using PCR-restriction analysis ?PRA-), and lesions were characterized by histopathology. Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare species are known to be potential pathogens for birds and mammals, especially for immunocompromised individuals. This animal was part of an experimental study regarding stress response, where animals were submitted to stressful conditions for then assessing levels of faecal cortisol. Recent concern regarding mycobacterial infection lies in the increased frequency of these opportunistic infections occurring in immunocompromised individuals.