Molecular Identification and Epidemiological Tracing of Pasteurella multocida Meningitis in a Baby

• DOI: 10.1128/jcm.38.3.1235-1237.2000
• Publication Date: 2019-12-31T17:54:17Z
• Authors: Patrick Boerlin; Hans H. Siegrist; André P. Burnens; Peter Kuhnert; Purita Mendez; Gérard Prétat; Reto Lienhard; Jacques Nicolet
• Keywords: Rural Population; 0301 basic medicine; Pasteurella multocida; Palatine Tonsil; Pasteurella Infections; 610 Medicine & health; Cat Diseases; Meningitis, Bacterial; 03 medical and health sciences; Dogs; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Zoonoses; Animals; Humans; Dog Diseases; 630 Agriculture; Human-Animal Bond; Infant; 500 Science; Bacterial Typing Techniques; 3. Good health; Cats; 570 Life sciences; biology; Switzerland

ABSTRACT

We report a case of Pasteurella multocida meningitis in a 1-month-old baby exposed to close contact with two dogs and a cat but without any known history of injury by these animals. 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the isolate from the baby allowed identification at the subspecies level and pointed to the cat as a possible source of infection. Molecular typing of Pasteurella isolates from the animals, from the baby, and from unrelated animals clearly confirmed that the cat harbored the same P. multocida subsp. septica strain on its tonsils as the one isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of the baby. This case stresses the necessity of informing susceptible hosts at risk of contracting zoonotic agents about some basic hygiene rules when keeping pets. In addition, this study illustrates the usefulness of molecular methods for identification and epidemiological tracing of Pasteurella isolates.