Lower motor neuronopathy in a Dutch Belted-Sembra bull.

the urogenital system.1 The natural reservoir of streptococcal strains pathogenic for cats is unknown, as is the prevalence of this organism in the cat population. Although group G streptococci are considered part of the normal flora of skin, pharynx, upper respiratory tract, vagina, and prepuce in cats,2 the source of the outbreak described here could not be determined. A common route of infection for pyothorax is via trauma to the thoracic cavity; however, no visible evidence of thoracic injury was found in either of the animals. Bacterial organisms causing pyothorax include Pasteurella multocida and Nocardia asteroides. These infections are often secondary to primary viral infections, e.g., with feline herpesvirus and calicivirus. Group G streptococcal tonsilitis and cervical lymphadenitis with resultant pulmonary thromboembolism and infarct has been described in juvenile cats,2 but tonsilitis, cervical lymphadenitis, and pulmonary thromboembolism and infarct were not seen in the 2 cats examined. Nevertheless, infection of cervical lymph nodes with group G streptococci and subsequent lymphatic spread, resulting in pyothorax, pleuritis, and pneumonia, could not be completely ruled out. Because infections with Lancefield group G streptococci have been reported in humans,6 all personnel working in the cat colony were asked to submit throat swabs for bacterial culture. No beta-hemolytic group G streptococci were recovered from those swab cultures. Acknowledgements. We thank Bonita Vera, Sharon Young, Nancy Kanitz, Paula Kulma, Kim Greenfield, Beverly Coleman, and Mary Faderan for their technical assistance in isolating group G streptcocci.