Mannheimiosis in Swiss albino mice

Abstract

A Swiss albino mouse was submitted for necropsy from a lab animal unit in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Congestion of lungs and petechiae were observed during necropsy. Swabs, smears and organs were collected for laboratory investigation. The smears revealed bipolar organism. Upon cultivation pinpoint pink colonies were observed in Mac Conkey agar and are weakly haemolytic in blood agar. The morphological, cultural and bio-chemical characters were suggestive of Mannheimia glucosida (M. glucosida). The organism was further confirmed by multiplex PCR. Histopathological examination revealed pneumonic changes in lungs, haemorrhage in the myocardium and fatty changes in the liver and kidney suggestive of pneumonia and toxicity. This study could be the first report of M. glucosida in mice.