Abstract
An outbreak of Streptococcus pyogenes infection occurred in a colony of 800 Dunkin-Hartley guineapigs resulting in 364 (46%) deaths involving breeders, sucklings, weaners, but mainly adults used as a source of blood meals for haematophagus flies (Glossina palpalis).
Clinical signs included bleeding from the nose, mouth and vagina before death. Necropsy revealed pneumonia with consolidation of one or both lungs, haemopericardium and haemothorax. There were yellowish-grey deposits in the urinary bladder of more than 50% of both affected breeders and adults used for feeding haematophagus flies. Beta-haemolytic Streptococcus pyogenes was isolated in pure culture from many tissues including the urinary bladder.
The survivors were treated with oxytetracycline (Terramycin-LA; Pfizer) using the intra-muscular route and the response was good.