PRACTICAL PATHOLOGY Staphylococcus sciuri Bacterial Sepsis in a Cat Farshid Shahriar DVM, PhD, Dipl ACVP - Lore Laboratory, Tustin, CA Medical History and Clinical Findings: Five month-old kitten died and was submitted for necropsy. Animal was dehydrated, underweight and had difficulty breathing. Severe mange infestation was also present with exudative epidermitis. Figure 2 Gross and Histopathologic Findings: There was diffuse skin lesion with crusty rough skin, loss of hair and exudate at ventral abdomen, lateral body wall, head and distal legs. Few dead fleas were observed over the skin coat. Oral and conjunctival mucous membranes were pale. There was subcutaneosu petechial hemorrhages (Fig.1). Eyes were sunken moderately. Spleen was meaty and congested. Lungs were mildly congested. Colon and rectum had small amount of fecal content. A wide range of tissues collected for histopathology and samples submitted for microbial culture. Staphylococcus sciuri was isolated from both lung and spleen. Histologically, there was superficial mural folliculitis and dermatitis with numerous mite parasites (Fig 2). Portal hepatitis (Fig. 3) and vascular thrombosis (Fig. 4) were noticed in lungs. Figure 3 Diagnosis: Diagnosis of bacterial sepsis with severe mange associated dermatitis was made. Discussion: Staphylococcus sciuri was isolated in pure culture from lung and spleen as the etiology of sepsis likely due to secondary bacterial infection associated with severe dermatitis. Isolation of Staphylococcus sciuri is very significant and pathogenic strains of staphylococci are often associated with skin diseases in human and animals. Infection may occur from dermal lesions or by oral feeding as the major routes of exposure. This organism is pathogenic in human and should be considered as an important zoonotic agents. P Figure 4 Figure 1 PULSE APRIL 2021 11