Eosinophilic Granuloma with Splendore-Hoeppli Material Caused by Toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans in a Heifer

Kenji MURAKAMI; Eiji HATA; Shinichi HATAMA; Yoshihiro WADA; Mitsuru ITO; Yoshiharu ISHIKAWA; Koichi KADOTA

doi:10.1292/jvms.13-0582

Pathology

Eosinophilic Granuloma with Splendore-Hoeppli Material Caused by Toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans in a Heifer

Kenji MURAKAMI, Eiji HATA, Shinichi HATAMA, Yoshihiro WADA, Mitsuru ITO, Yoshiharu ISHIKAWA, Koichi KADOTA

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Keywords: cattle, Corynebacterium ulcerans, diphtheria toxin, eosinophilic granuloma, sulfur granule

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2014 Volume 76 Issue 6 Pages 931-935

DOI https://doi.org/10.1292/jvms.13-0582

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Abstract

Raised lesions were present on the left nasal vestibule of a 20-month-old Japanese Brown heifer. The largest mass which caused partial nasal obstruction was removed surgically. Corynebacterium ulcerans was identified in the mass. 16S ribosomal RNA and RNA polymerase beta subunit genes were 100% and 98% identical to other C. ulcerans strains. Histologically, multiple foci of eosinophilic granuloma with Splendore-Hoeppli material were seen. Rod-shaped Gram-positive organisms were detected with metachromatic granules, producing diphtheria toxin with 5, 30 and 48 amino acid differences to another C. ulcerans strain, C. diphtheriae or C. pseudotuberculosis, respectively. The toxin is highly cytotoxic and may be responsible for the formation of abundant Splendore-Hoeppli material. The lesion was therefore judged to be an allergic reaction to bacterial antigens or diphtheria toxin.

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