Isolation of streptococci from a fatal case of myocarditis in a captive brown bear (ursus arctos)

Abstract

A 10-yr-old, male brown bear (Ursus arctos) from Bursa Zoo in Turkey died without any apparent signs. Severe purulent pericarditis and myocarditis with mild ascites, lung edema, and moderate liver congestion were observed during necropsy. Microscopically, there were severe neutrophilic infiltrations in the myocardium and thoracic lymph nodes. A member of the Streptococcus bovis-Streptococcus equinus complex (SBSEC) was isolated and identified phenotypically.