Fatal Suppurative Bronchopneumonia Associated With Multidrug‐Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in a Pet Rat (Rattus norvegicus): A Case Report
- 1University of Sorocaba Veterinary Medicine Sorocaba São Paulo Brazil uniso.br
- 2University of Sorocaba Laboratory of Biomaterials and Nanotechnology (LaBNUS) Sorocaba São Paulo Brazil uniso.br
Abstract
Respiratory diseases are common in companion rodents, but empirical treatment without microbiological diagnosis remains widespread, contributing to treatment failures and the selection of resistant strains. This study reports a case of fatal suppurative bronchopneumonia associated with a multidrug‐resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae isolate in a pet rat (Rattus norvegicus). Following clinical presentation, serial thoracic radiographs were obtained, and empirical antimicrobial and respiratory therapies were administered. Because of progressive disease, the animal was humanely euthanized. Necropsy revealed multiple pulmonary abscesses, hemorrhage, and emphysema, with histopathology consistent with severe neutrophilic bronchopneumonia. K. pneumoniae was isolated from lung tissue in pure culture. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing according to BrCAST guidelines demonstrated resistance to doxycycline, chloramphenicol, enrofloxacin, marbofloxacin, and norfloxacin; intermediate susceptibility to cefazolin, streptomycin, gentamicin, and trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole; and susceptibility to amikacin, aztreonam, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, and cefepime. This resistance profile provides a plausible explanation for the failure of empirical therapies with doxycycline and fluoroquinolones, although advanced pulmonary abscessation and lack of antemortem testing also influenced the outcome. The absence of molecular characterization and environmental screening limits definitive transmission inferences. Early microbiological investigation is essential to guide effective therapy, support antimicrobial stewardship, and mitigate potential public health risks at the human–animal interface within the One Health framework.
Related
- L-histidine metabolic reprogramming is associated with imipenem-relebactam resistance in carbapenem-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae
- Case Report: Klebsiella pneumoniae-associated pyogenic spondylitis and occult intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma during calculous cholangitis.
- blaIMP-4-associated imipenem susceptibility discordance in the Klebsiella pneumoniae complex: characterization and a phenotype-guided confirmatory workflow
- Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae Infections in Vancouver, Canada: A Clinical, Microbiological, and Genetic Retrospective Investigation
- PredKlebAMR: A machine learning framework prioritizing sensitivity in Klebsiella pneumoniae resistance profiling
BibTeX
@article{sandrini2026fatal,
title = {{Fatal Suppurative Bronchopneumonia Associated With Multidrug‐Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in a Pet Rat (Rattus norvegicus): A Case Report}},
author = {Jéssica Siqueira Sandrini and Gustavo Euclides de Oliveira Nascimento and Bianca Gianola Belline Silva and Kessie Marie de Moura Crescêncio and Marco Vinícius Chaud},
journal = {Case Reports in Veterinary Medicine},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1155/crve/3798536},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1155/crve/3798536},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Fatal Suppurative Bronchopneumonia Associated With Multidrug‐Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in a Pet Rat (Rattus norvegicus): A Case Report
AU - Jéssica Siqueira Sandrini
AU - Gustavo Euclides de Oliveira Nascimento
AU - Bianca Gianola Belline Silva
AU - Kessie Marie de Moura Crescêncio
AU - Marco Vinícius Chaud
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/04
JO - Case Reports in Veterinary Medicine
DO - 10.1155/crve/3798536
UR - https://doi.org/10.1155/crve/3798536
AB - Respiratory diseases are common in companion rodents, but empirical treatment without microbiological diagnosis remains widespread, contributing to treatment failures and the selection of resistant strains. This study reports a case of fatal suppurative bronchopneumonia associated with a multidrug‐resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae isolate in a pet rat (Rattus norvegicus). Following clinical presentation, serial thoracic radiographs were obtained, and empirical antimicrobial and respiratory therapies were administered. Because of progressive disease, the animal was humanely euthanized. Necropsy revealed multiple pulmonary abscesses, hemorrhage, and emphysema, with histopathology consistent with severe neutrophilic bronchopneumonia. K. pneumoniae was isolated from lung tissue in pure culture. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing according to BrCAST guidelines demonstrated resistance to doxycycline, chloramphenicol, enrofloxacin, marbofloxacin, and norfloxacin; intermediate susceptibility to cefazolin, streptomycin, gentamicin, and trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole; and susceptibility to amikacin, aztreonam, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, and cefepime. This resistance profile provides a plausible explanation for the failure of empirical therapies with doxycycline and fluoroquinolones, although advanced pulmonary abscessation and lack of antemortem testing also influenced the outcome. The absence of molecular characterization and environmental screening limits definitive transmission inferences. Early microbiological investigation is essential to guide effective therapy, support antimicrobial stewardship, and mitigate potential public health risks at the human–animal interface within the One Health framework.
SN - 2090-7001
SN - 2090-701X
ER -