Fatal Streptococcus anginosus-associated pneumonia in a captive Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii)

摘要

Bacterial infections commonly affect the lungs and air sacs of orangutans; culture and identification is rarely performed and may have clinical relevance. Methods Necropsy, histopathology and bacterial culture were performend on a captive adult male Sumatran orangutan with chronic air sacculitis. Bacterial speciation was confirmed by sequencing of the 16s-23s ribosomal DNA spacer region. Results Necropsy revealed severe suppurative pneumonia. Moderate growth of Streptoccocus anginosus was recovered from the lungs. Conclusions This is the first report of S. anginosus as a cause of fatal suppurative pneumonia in a non-human primate.