ABSCESSES ASSOCIATED WITH A BRUCELLA INOPINATA–LIKE BACTERIUM IN A BIG-EYED TREE FROG (LEPTOPELIS VERMICULATUS)

A 4-yr-old big-eyed tree frog (Leptopelis vermiculatus) was submitted with two pea-sized (4-mm diameter), firm, and painful masses on the right side of its back. The two abscess-like masses were surgically opened, and a whitish-yellow pasty content was removed. A Brucella inopinata–like bacterium was obtained in pure culture and was resistant against ampicillin and tylosin but sensitive to the 8 other antibiotics tested. The organism was identified by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing of the 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (acc. no. HE608873) and recA (acc. no. HE608874) genes after preliminary misidentification as Ochrobactrum anthropi when using a commercial identification system. To the authors’ knowledge, a B. inopinata–like bacterium has not been reported previously in amphibians. The organism is a potential human pathogen and may present a risk for people handling amphibians.

[1]  J. Setubal,et al.  Characterization of Novel Brucella Strains Originating from Wild Native Rodent Species in North Queensland, Australia , 2010, Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

[2]  G. Vergnaud,et al.  Brucella inopinata sp. nov., isolated from a breast implant infection. , 2010, International journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology.

[3]  D. Fischer,et al.  [Subcutaneous sparganosis in an Australian green tree frog (Litoria caerulea)]. , 2010, Tierarztliche Praxis. Ausgabe K, Kleintiere/Heimtiere.

[4]  A. Hoffmaster,et al.  Identification of an unusual Brucella strain (BO2) from a lung biopsy in a 52 year-old patient with chronic destructive pneumonia , 2010, BMC Microbiology.

[5]  R. Shine,et al.  Spinal Arthropathy Associated with Ochrobactrum anthropi in Free-ranging Cane Toads (Chaunus [Bufo] marinus) in Australia , 2008, Veterinary pathology.

[6]  Gregory P. Brown,et al.  Invasion, stress, and spinal arthritis in cane toads , 2007, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

[7]  A. Steigerwalt,et al.  Novel Brucella Strain (BO1) Associated with a Prosthetic Breast Implant Infection , 2007, Journal of Clinical Microbiology.

[8]  E. Goldstein,et al.  Pelvic Abscess Due to Ochrobactrum anthropi in an Immunocompetent Host: Case Report and Review of the Literature , 2006, Journal of Clinical Microbiology.

[9]  Z. Bicik,et al.  Ochrobactrum anthropi endocarditis and septic shock in a patient with no prosthetic valve or rheumatic heart disease: case report and review of the literature. , 2006, Japanese journal of infectious diseases.

[10]  E. James,et al.  Misidentification of Brucella melitensis as Ochrobactrum anthropi by API 20NE. , 2003, Journal of medical microbiology.

[11]  F. Weill,et al.  Septic Shock Caused by Ochrobactrum anthropi in an Otherwise Healthy Host , 2003, Journal of Clinical Microbiology.

[12]  G. Pacheco.  [The genus Brucella]. , 1953, Brasil-medico.