Study on Mycobacterium avium Infection in Schnauzers and Basset Hounds

Mycobacterial infections are becoming recognized as important clinical problems in dogs and cats. The tubercle bacilli, M. tuberculosis and M. bovis and M. avium all infect dogs and cats as do many of the rapid-growing so called “atypical” strains. Our special interest is in detecting M. avium infections in dogs and cats as there has been an increasing recognition of clinical disease of the disseminated variety in a number of dog and cat breeds. Among dogs, the miniature schnauzer and basset hound have particular problems with disseminated M. avium infection and in cats the Siamese breed are particularly susceptible. There is an apparent genetic defect in their immune system.

With the advent of newer medical therapies, immune-compromised dogs and cats are being recognized with these infections. Cultivation of these organisms can take up to 6 weeks, and longer for positive identification. In human medicine, a number of methods are being used with increasing frequency for positive identification of these organisms from clinical specimens. This technology has been used for many years in identifying organisms grown in culture; however there is more of a demand to take a clinical specimen and immediately identify their presence. Using the proposed methods on clinical specimens will involve refining and purifying the specimen first before it can be analyzed. Furthermore these methods must distinguish between the nucleic acids and cell wall components of dog cells respectively from those of mycobacteria.

As the first part of this experiment this summer we plan to cultivate mycobacteria in cell culture of dogs and then determine what purification and optimization methods are needed to detect mycobacteria within this system.  As a conclusion to this project we may also begin to test some clinical specimens from naturally infected dogs provided to us by the Schnauzer and Basset breeders who are anxiously looking for some way to rapidly identify infected dogs. We hope to adopt this test for routine clinical use in the near future to help with diagnosis and monitor therapy in affected dogs.

Individuals interested in submitting tissue and blood samples can submit EDTA blood and serum samples from living affected dogs, and lymphoid or other affected tissue upon necropsy.  Tissue samples must not be put in formalin, but placed into a sterile container and shipped on cold ice packs. 

        The contact person for this study is Stan Baker at sbaker@uga.edu

        Shipping information:

        Dr. Craig Greene

        Department of Small Animal Medicine

        College of Vet Medicine

        501 D.W. Brooks Dr.

        University of Georgia

        Athens, GA 30602

        * Please ship overnight to arrive on Tues-Thurs, not Friday.

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