{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,20]],"date-time":"2026-03-20T14:45:39Z","timestamp":1774017939049,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,16]],"date-time":"2024-04-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1713225600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pathogens"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Ferrets are highly susceptible to a wide range of mycobacteria, mainly M. bovis, M. avium, and M. triplex. Therefore, ferrets pose a risk of transmission of mycobacteriosis, especially zoonotically relevant tuberculosis. The aim of this study was to describe the findings of M. xenopi mycobacteriosis in a pet ferret and emphasize its zoonotic potential. A pet ferret had a history of weight loss, apathy, hyporexia, and hair loss. Abdominal ultrasound revealed splenomegaly with two solid masses and cystic lesions of the liver. Fine-needle aspiration cytology revealed numerous acid-fast bacilli in epithelioid cells, thus leading to the suspicion of mycobacterial infection. Because of its poor general condition, the ferret was euthanized. Necropsy examination revealed generalized granulomatous lymphadenitis, pneumonia, myocarditis, splenitis, and hepatitis. Histologically, in all organs, there were multifocal to coalescing areas of inflammatory infiltration composed of epithelioid macrophages, a low number of lymphocytes, and plasma cells, without necrosis nor multinucleated giant cells. Ziehl\u2013Neelsen staining detected the presence of numerous (multibacillary) acid-fast bacteria, which were PCR-typed as M. xenopi. This is the first study showing the antimicrobial susceptibility testing of M. xenopi in veterinary medicine, describing the resistance to doxycycline. Overall, our results could facilitate further diagnosis and provide guidelines for the treatment protocols for such infections.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens13040328","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,17]],"date-time":"2024-04-17T08:22:44Z","timestamp":1713342164000},"page":"328","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Mycobacteriosis in a Pet Ferret (Mustela putorius furo) Caused by Mycobacterium xenopi: A Case Report on Neglected Risk of Zoonotic Transmission"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3363-2341","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"\u017deljko","family":"Mihaljevi\u0107","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Croatian Veterinary Institute, Savska Cesta 143, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2198-557X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Irena","family":"Reil","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Croatian Veterinary Institute, Savska Cesta 143, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Josipa","family":"Habu\u0161","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Zrinka","family":"\u0160tritof","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-5805-9892","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"\u0160imun","family":"Naletili\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Croatian Veterinary Institute, Savska Cesta 143, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Gabrijela","family":"Jurki\u0107 Krsteska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Tajna","family":"Kova\u010d","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Veterinary Clinic Dr. Pezo, Ede Murtica 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Maja","family":"Zdelar-Tuk","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Croatian Veterinary Institute, Savska Cesta 143, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1308-267X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sanja","family":"Duvnjak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Croatian Veterinary Institute, Savska Cesta 143, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8317-5831","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Silvio","family":"\u0160pi\u010di\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Croatian Veterinary Institute, Savska Cesta 143, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"554","article-title":"A note on tuberculosis in the ferret (Mustela furo L.)","volume":"63","author":"Iland","year":"1951","journal-title":"J. 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