Detection of pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica in pet Djungarian hamsters in Japan

Host-Specific Differences in Gut Microbiota Between Cricetulus barabensis and Phodopus sungorus

Gut microbiota plays an important role in the health of the host and is usually associated with the physiological processes of animals. Both host-specific factors and environmental factors are involved in the shaping of the gut microbial community, and it is necessary to identify the host-dominated differences in gut microbiota among animal species to better explain how they affect the choice of life history strategies in hosts. Here, striped hamsters Cricetulus barabensis and Djungarian hamsters Phodopus sungorus were housed under the same controlled conditions, and fecal samples were collected to compare gut microbiota. A higher Shannon index was observed in striped hamsters than in Djungarian hamsters. Linear discriminant analysis of effect size showed enrichment of the family Lachnospiraceae and genera Muribaculum and Oscillibacter in striped hamsters, with the enrichment of family Erysipelotrichaceae and genus Turicibacter in Djungarian hamsters. Among the top 10 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), eight showed significantly different relative abundance between the two hamster species. The positive correlations and average degree in the co-occurrence network of striped hamsters were less than those of Djungarian hamsters, showing different complexity of synergistic effects among the gut bacteria. The gut microbial community of striped hamsters had a higher R² value than that of Djungarian hamsters when fitted with a neutral community model. These differences have a degree of consistency with the variation in the lifestyles of the two hamster species. The study provides insights into the understanding of gut microbiota and its connections with rodent hosts.

A Case of Yersinia enterocolitica Enteritis Diagnosed with Erythema Nodosum

We herein report a rare case of Yersinia enterocolitica enteritis with a fever and abdominal pain followed by erythema nodosum (EN) a few days later. The diagnosis was confirmed based on characteristic colonoscopy and computed tomography findings, pathology, and mucosal culture. Yersinia enteritis is a curable disease provided a proper diagnosis and treatment are performed. Although EN is a rare clinical course, it should still be considered as a differential diagnosis.

Microbiological survey of sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) kept as pets in Italy

The sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) is a small, arboreal, nocturnal, gliding mammalian possum belonging to the marsupial infraclass. Exotic marsupials, including sugar gliders, are becoming popular companion pets and, consequently, the risk of potential infections that can be transmitted to humans should be investigated. Data on the role of the sugar glider as a possible carrier of pathogenic and zoonotic bacteria are scarce and fragmentary. Therefore, this study is aimed at evaluating the prevalence of potentially zoonotic bacteria (Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Campylobacter spp., Pseudomonas spp., Klebsiella spp., Listeria monocytogenes and Yersinia enterocolitica) in 64 sugar gliders kept as pets in Italy. The highest prevalence of infection pertained to members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, in particular Citrobacter spp. (50%), Enterobacter spp. (28·1%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (15·6%); Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated from 10 out of 64 samples (15·6%). All strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae exhibited some level of resistance to multiple antimicrobials (ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and doxycycline). SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The results of this study show that sugar gliders may act as carriers of potentially pathogenic agents for humans and other animal species, therefore caution should be exercised in the handling and contact with these animals.