First report of Veronaea botryosa as a causal agent of chromomycosis in frogs

Abstract

A dematiaceous hyphomycete, isolated from frogs, was determined as the possible etiologic agent of a case of systemic chromomycosis this cold-blooded animal. The fungus was identified as Veronaea botryosa on the basis of morphological features observed in histopathological examination and molecular phylogenetic evidence. Although V. botryosa is known to be distributed widely in litter and as a human pathogen, this is the first confirmed report of its involvement in a lethal infection in a cold-blooded animal, including an anuran.

Chromoblastomycosis in two giant ditch frogs also known as mountain chicken frogs (Leptodactylus fallax)

“…Cleaning the housing facility and isolating the ill animals are of great importance to avoid transmission 5. Handling or contaminated air can also be the cause of transmission 8. Therefore, good husbandry practices are crucial for reducing disease development and dissemination 1…”

“…In amphibians and reptiles, the treatment seems to be difficult. Ketoconazole and itraconazole treatment or bathing with povidone‐iodine have been described with varying results 8. Amputation in early stages of infection has also been performed as treatment in amphibians 5.…”

“…The animals presented with cutaneous ulcerations in the head, legs and back. Histological granulomatous inflammation in different organs was found along with detection of brown fungal hyphae 8. Chromoblastomycosis in humans is an endemic fungal infection mostly of tropical regions.…”

“…However, growth is slow even at incubation conditions at 27°C–30°C. PCR is required for the identification at the genus or species level 8 9. In humans, the histological examination of the skin presents hyperplastic lesions or muriform cells (synonym: sclerotic bodies or Medlar bodies) embedded in a granulomatous reaction 9.…”

First case report on pathogenic fungus Fonsecaea sp. Negroni from skin of Pelophylax kl. esculentus L. in Serbia

“…This presents chronic, cutaneous and subcutaneous infection, characterized by slowly expanding nodules that eventually lead to emerging, cauliflower-like, mutilating and disfiguring eruptions. Infection proceeds with muriform cells in tissue provoking a granulomatous immune response (Pare, 2003;Hosoya et al 2015). Propagules of these fungi (conidia, ascospores, chlamydospores, hyphal fragments) are often present in soil and leaf litter.…”