Pyogranulomatous myocarditis due to Staphylococcus aureus septicaemia in two harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena)

• Published in: Veterinary Record
• Main Authors: Siebert, U., Müller, G., Baumgärtner, W., Weiss, R., Desportes, G., Hansen, K.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2002
• Subjects: Papers & Articles; Harbour porpoise; Phocoena phocoena
• Online Access: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/cgi/content/short/150/9/273; https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.150.9.273

Staphylococcus aureus septicaemia was diagnosed in a dead, stranded harbour porpoise from the German Baltic Sea and in a live harbour porpoise by-caught in inner Danish waters and taken into captivity. Lesions included pyogranulomatous myocarditis, necrotising suppurative bronchopneumonia, pyelonephritis, osteomyelitis and leptomeningitis, and abscesses in lymph nodes and skeletal muscles. The captive animal had fibrinous suppurative epicarditis and pyogranulomatous myocarditis with abscesses. In both animals the organism was suspected to have entered through skin lesions or via the respiratory tract.