Listerial mesenteric lymphadenitis in 3 cats

• Published in: Journal of veterinary internal medicine 2019-07, Vol.33 (4), p.1753-1758
• Main Authors: Fluen, Thomas W., Hardcastle, Michael, Kiupel, Matti, Baral, Randolph M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abdomen; animal feeding; Animals; Antibiotics; bacterial culture; Biochemistry; Case Reports; cat diseases; Cat Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Cat Diseases - microbiology; Cat Diseases - pathology; Cat Diseases - therapy; Cats; Cloning; Cytokines; diet; Diet - veterinary; Differential diagnosis; Feces; Histology; Immunohistochemistry; Infections; interleukin 10; Laboratories; Leukemia; Listeria; Listeria - isolation & purification; Listeriosis; Listeriosis - microbiology; Listeriosis - veterinary; Lymphadenitis; Lymphadenopathy; Lymphatic system; Male; Meat; Mesenteric Lymphadenitis - diagnostic imaging; Mesenteric Lymphadenitis - microbiology; Mesenteric Lymphadenitis - therapy; Mesenteric Lymphadenitis - veterinary; Raw Foods; raw‐fed; signs and symptoms (animals and humans); SMALL ANIMAL; Small intestine; Ultrasonic imaging; ultrasonics; Ultrasonography - veterinary
• ISSN: 0891-6640; 1939-1676
• DOI: 10.1111/jvim.15539

Background Listeriosis is a rare disease in cats with naturally occurring cases usually being identified in individual animals. Listerial mesenteric lymphadenitis has not been described previously in cats. Objectives To describe the clinical and histological features of listerial mesenteric lymphadenitis in cats as well as treatment outcome. Animals Listerial mesenteric lymphadenitis was confirmed in 3 cats by histology, immunohistochemistry, and bacterial culture. Results The affected cats were young to middle aged and were examined for various clinical signs. On both palpation and abdominal ultrasound examination, all cats had marked mesenteric lymphadenomegaly. Survival was prolonged in all 3 cases. Two of the 3 cats were fed a raw meat‐based diet before they developed clinical illness. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Lymphadenitis caused by listeriosis has a protracted time course and should be a differential diagnosis for abdominal lymphadenopathy in young to middle‐aged cats. Feeding of a raw meat‐based diet may be a contributing factor for development of listeriosis in cats.