Isolation of Streptococcus from Formosan Squirrels Massively Dead in a Park

Abstract

An acute death occurred in 414 of 500 Formosan squirrels, freely reared at Park Y in a suburban district of Kanagawa Prefecture, from the middle October to November, 1992 and again, 3 of 156 died in the middle of May, 1993, showing mild facial swelling and bleeding from the nares and oral cavity. From 8 of the 9 dead cases β-hemolytic streptococcal strains were isolated and identified as S. zooepidemicus from their biochemical properties, and they were serotyped as Group C of Lancefield. As determined from the minimum inhibitory concentrations to 9 kinds of drugs, the isolates were highly susceptible to ampicillin, benzeylpenicillin, erythromycin, chloramphenicol and ofloxacin.