Deep Fungal Diseases

Lemetayer, Julie Denise; Sykes, Jane E.

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-29836-4_14

Cited by 1 publication

(2 citation statements)

References 127 publications

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“…Factors predisposing cats to phaeohyphomycoses include immunosuppressive drugs; concurrent disease; or age‐related, non‐specific loss of immunity; however, no obvious immunosuppression has been found in most reported cases. In these cases, it is believed that the pigment of phaeohyphomycetes played an important role in their virulence and pathogenicity as it aids fungal evasion of the host immune response by preventing hydrolytic enzymatic attack and scavenging of free radicals liberated by phagocytic cells during then oxidative burst 4 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Phaeohyphomycetes are found in soil, wood and decomposing plant debris worldwide, and they cause opportunistic infections of the skin and subcutaneous tissue in cats. Although systemic disease is usually rare, ingestion or inhalation of spores might result in extracutaneous disease 4 . Feline central nervous system (CNS) phaeohyphomycosis is rare; however, it has been described to be caused by Cladophialospora bantiana , Ochroconis gallopavum , Exophiala jeanselmei and Fonsecaea multimorphosa , and Cladiophialospora bantiana is particularly neurotropic 1,4,5 .…”

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confidence: 99%

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Brainstem phaeohyphomycosis due to Curvularia lunata (Cochliobolus lunatus) in a cat

et al. 2021

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A 13‐year‐old female neutered domestic short‐hair cat was presented with chronic progressive vestibular ataxia, lethargy and anorexia. Clinical examination revealed bilateral mucopurulent nasal discharge. Neurological examination revealed obtundation, a right head tilt, ambulatory tetraparesis, generalised vestibular ataxia, decreased postural reactions in all limbs, right Horner's syndrome, spontaneous conjugate jerk rotatory nystagmus and right positional ventral strabismus. Neuroanatomical localisation was observed in the right central vestibular system. Computed tomography revealed a solitary ill‐defined contrast‐enhancing mass lesion at the level of the right cerebellopontine angle. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis revealed mild mononuclear pleocytosis and fungal elements. CSF culture was positive for Curvularia spp. Further tests for underlying diseases were all negative. The cat was treated with antibiotic and antifungal treatment, but it deteriorated rapidly and was euthanased. Necropsy of the brainstem mass lesion revealed pyogranulomatous inflammation. Panfungal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and subsequent sequencing identified Curvularia lunata in the formalin fixed brain tissue. This is the first report of brainstem phaeohyphomycosis by Curvularia lunata (Pleosporales) in a cat. In addition, this is the first report among animal and humans where fungal elements of Curvularia lunata were found in the CSF cytology. Opportunistic fungal pathogens should be always considered within the differential diagnoses list in cats with neurological signs and advanced imaging findings compatible with solitary mass lesions in the brain. In feline patients with pyogranulomatous meningoencephalitis and a suspicion of a fungal aetiology, panfungal PCR for the ITS region and sequencing should be performed regardless of the absence of fungal elements in histopathology.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%