Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb
Abstract
Listeriosis is an infectious disease of domestic and wild animals caused by Listeria monocytogenes, and is transferable to humans. There are two clinical forms of listeriosis: septicemic and encephalitic. This paper deals with two cases of listeriosis in chinchillas (Chinchilla laniger), originating from a farm in the County of Me|imurje in Croatia, and were pathomorphologically and bacteriologically examined. This particular breed consisted of 64 chinchillas, 34 of which have died due to same symptoms. History reveals that animals had suffered loss of appetite, and abortion occurred about 5 days before death. Gross lesions included general anaemia and cachexia. Whitish-grey nodules the size of millet grain or a little larger were noticed along the capsule of liver, serosa of colon and in mesenterial lymph nodes. Numerous variably-sized granulomas in liver, intestines, lymph nodes and kidneys, with no special pattern, were observed histopathologically. They consisted of necrotic cells with somewhat more granulocytes in the centre and scattered individual gigantocytes. Bacteriological examination of liver specimens revealed Listeria monocytogenes in a pure culture in both cases. This is the first description of listeriosis in chinchillas in Croatia.Listerioza je zarazna bolest domaćih i divljih životinja uzrokovana bakterijom Listeria monocytogenes, a može se prenijeti i na čovjeka. Klinički se manifestira u dva oblika: kao septikemija ili kao encefalitis. Rad opisuje dva slučaja listerioze u činčila (Chinchilla laniger), s jedne farme iz Me|imurja u Hrvatskoj, koji su patomorfološki i bakteriološki obrađeni. U uzgoju su uginule 34 od 64 životinje s istim simptomima. Prema anamnestičkim podacima životinje su izgubile apetit i pobacile oko 5 dana prije uginuća. Makroskopski je bila vidljiva opća anemija i izrazita mršavost životinja. Sivo bijeli čvorići veličine zrna prosa ili nešto veći rasprostirali su se po jetri, serozi kolona i mezenterijalnim limfnim čvorovima. Histopatološkom pretragom jetre, crijeva, limfnih čvorova i bubrega nađeni su brojni granulomi, različite veličine i rasporeda. Sastojali su se od nekrotičnih stanica s nešto više granulocita u centru i razbacanim pojedinačnim gigantocitima. Bakteriološkom pretragom jetre obje činčile izolirana je Listeria monocytogenes u čistoj kulturi. Ovo je prvi opisani slučaj pojave listerioze u činčila u Hrvatskoj
