Human pathogenic Mycobacterium kansasii (former subtype I) with zoonotic potential isolated from a diseased indoor pet cat, Japan

Hanako Fukano; Tsukasa Terazono; Aki Hirabayashi; Mitsunori Yoshida; Masato Suzuki; Shinpei Wada; Norihisa Ishii; Yoshihiko Hoshino

doi:10.1080/22221751.2021.1878935

Human pathogenic Mycobacterium kansasii (former subtype I) with zoonotic potential isolated from a diseased indoor pet cat, Japan

Emerg Microbes Infect. 2021 Dec;10(1):220-222. doi: 10.1080/22221751.2021.1878935.

Authors

Hanako Fukano¹, Tsukasa Terazono², Aki Hirabayashi³, Mitsunori Yoshida¹, Masato Suzuki³, Shinpei Wada⁴, Norihisa Ishii⁵, Yoshihiko Hoshino¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Mycobacteriology, Leprosy Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.
² Terazono Animal Clinic, Hiroshima, Japan.
³ Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.
⁴ Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Tokyo, Japan.
⁵ National Sanatorium Tamazenshoen, Higashimurayama, Japan.

Abstract

Nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections in humans have increased in prevalence in recent decades. Mycobacterium kansasii is one of the most prevalent human pathogenic NTM species worldwide. Herein, we report the first isolation of M. kansasii from an indoor domestic cat in Japan. Comparative genome sequence analysis of the feline isolate showed this pathogen is genetically identical to human pathogenic M. kansasii. This finding suggests that M. kansasii has a potential risk of zoonoses and requires the "One Health" approach to control NTM infection.

Keywords: Mycobacterium kansasii; Infectious diseases; diseases reservoirs; emerging; nontuberculous mycobacteria; zoonoses.

Publication types

Letter

MeSH terms

Animals
Bacterial Zoonoses / microbiology*
Bacterial Zoonoses / transmission
Cat Diseases / microbiology*
Cats
Female
Humans
Japan
Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / microbiology
Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / transmission
Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / veterinary*
Mycobacterium kansasii / classification
Mycobacterium kansasii / genetics
Mycobacterium kansasii / isolation & purification*
Pets / microbiology*
Phylogeny

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development [grant numbers jp20fk0108064,jp20fk0108075,jp20fk0108093,jp20fk0108129,jp20jm0510004,jp20wm0125007,jp20wm0225004,jp20wm0325003]; Japan Society for the Promotion of Science [grant numbers jp18K08312,jp18K15966,jp19KK0217,jp20H02282,jp20K17205].