Disseminated Tuberculosis in Hyrax (Procavia capensis) Caused by Mycobacterium africanum

• Published in: Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine Vol. 39; no. 3; pp. 386 - 391
• Main Authors: Gudan, Andrea, Artuković, Branka, Cvetnić, Željko, Špičić, Silvio, Beck, Ana, Hohšteter, Marko, Naglić, Tomo, Bata, Ingeborg, Grabarević, Željko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Association of Zoo Veterinarians 01-09-2008
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Zoo - microbiology; CASE REPORTS; Croatia - epidemiology; Fatal Outcome; Female; Female animals; Hyrax; Hyraxes - microbiology; Infections; Lesions; Lungs; Male; Male animals; Mycobacterium; Mycobacterium - isolation & purification; Mycobacterium africanum; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Pathology; Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; Polymerase Chain Reaction - veterinary; Procavia capensis; tuberculosis; Tuberculosis - diagnosis; Tuberculosis - mortality; Tuberculosis - pathology; Tuberculosis - veterinary; United Arab Emirates - ethnology; Zoos; United Arab Emirates; Croatia
• ISSN: 1042-7260; 1937-2825
• DOI: 10.1638/06-041.1

Tuberculosis due to Mycobacterium africanum was diagnosed in an adult female hyrax (Procavia capensis). Pathologic examination revealed disseminated tuberculous lesions. The same pathologic changes were also found in a male hyrax that died a year later. Both animals were imported from the United Arab Emirates and were held in captivity at the Zagreb Zoo in Croatia. The source of infection remains unknown. The acid-fast bacteria isolated from the lungs of the female hyrax were identifyed by polymerase chain reaction as Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and Geno Type® MTBC test confirmed the strain to be M. africanum I.