Chromobacteriosis in a Chinese red panda (Ailurus fulgens styani)

An adult Chinese red panda (Ailurus fulgens styani) transported by airplane from Florida to a North Dakota zoo died 1 week after arrival. Grossly, an interscapular abscess, subcutaneous inflammation, lymphadenitis, and pulmon ary abscesses were observed. Microscopic findings included necrotizing infl ammation in liver, lung, lymph node, and spleen. Chromobacterium violaceum was cultured from the interscapular abscess, liver, lung, and spleen and wa s injected into Swiss Webster mice. These mice died 18 hours postinoculatio n, and C. violaceum was cultured from liver, lung, and spleen. Chromobacter ium violaceum is a sporadically reported but highly virulent pathogenic bac terium of both animals and humans typically found as a soil and water inhab itant of tropical and subtropical regions.