Swamp cancer

Austwick, P. K. C.; Copland, J. W.

doi:10.1038/250084a0

Cited by 62 publications

(30 citation statements)

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“…Animal pythiosis, known as swamp cancer, was reported as a subcutaneous disease in horses in New Guinea (2). The disease was later reported in other animals and humans.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identification of Emerging Human-Pathogenic Pythium insidiosum by Serological and Molecular Assay-Based Methods

Vanittanakom¹,

Supabandhu²,

Khamwan

et al. 2004

J Clin Microbiol

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Pythium insidiosum is a pathogen that causes disease in both animals and humans. Human infection is rare; however, when it does occur, most patients, especially those having underlying hemoglobinopathy syndromes, such as thalassemia, exhibit a severe form. We identified four isolates of P. insidiosum. Two were recovered from tissue biopsy specimens from thalassemic and leukemic patients, one was derived from brain tissue from a thalassemic patient, and another was isolated from a corneal ulcer from a fourth patient. Western blotting and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were performed with a serum sample derived from one thalassemic patient. The methods used to identify the P. insidiosum isolates were based on morphology, nucleic acid sequencing, and a PCR assay. To confirm the identification, portions of the 18S rRNA genes of these four isolates were sequenced. The sequences were shown to be homologous to previously described P. insidiosum DNA sequences. In addition, PCR amplification of the internal transcribed spacer region specific for P. insidiosum was positive for all four isolates. The ELISA with the serum sample from the thalassemic patient gave a positive result from a serum dilution of 1:800. Finally, Western immunoblotting with this serum sample showed positive immunoglobulin G recognition for proteins of 110, 73, 56, 42 to 35, 30 to 28, 26, and 23 kDa. The results of this study show that both molecularly based diagnostic and serodiagnostic techniques are useful for the rapid identification of human pythiosis. The predominant antigens recognized by Western blotting may be useful in the development of a more sensitive and specific diagnostic tool for this disease.

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“…Animal pythiosis, known as swamp cancer, was reported as a subcutaneous disease in horses in New Guinea (2). The disease was later reported in other animals and humans.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identification of Emerging Human-Pathogenic Pythium insidiosum by Serological and Molecular Assay-Based Methods

Vanittanakom¹,

Supabandhu²,

Khamwan

et al. 2004

J Clin Microbiol

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“…Meanwhile in Papua New Guinea, Austwick and Copland (1974) [2] studied isolates, from 4 cases of swamp cancer, which closely resembled limited description available for H. destruens. They tried several methods to encourage these fungi to sporulate and succeeded when undifferentiated filamentous sporangia were seen releasing biflagellate zoospores.…”

Section: Horsesmentioning

confidence: 97%

Review of animal mycoses in Australia

Connole¹

1990

Mycopathologia

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This review covers the available literature on the mycoses of animals in Australia since the last review published in 1967. Of the cutaneous infections, dermatophytoses have been recorded in a wide range of animals: cattle, horses, goats, pigs, sheep, cats, dogs, mice, guinea-pigs, rabbits, a lion, kangaroos, a camel, koalas and wallabies. These infections were caused by several species and varieties of the genera, Microsporum and Trichophyton. Eight agents of ringworms have been recorded in the horse. Two subcutaneous mycoses, phaeohyphomycosis and sporotrichosis have been reported. Phaeohyphomycosis is becoming more common but sporotrichosis is rare having been recorded only once in a cat. The following systemic mycoses have been recorded: adiaspiromycosis, aspergillosis, candidiasis, cryptococcosis, dactylariosis, fusariomycosis, histoplasmosis, miscellaneous mycoses, mycotic abortion and related conditions, zygomycosis, pythiosis, protothecosis and green algal infections. Cryptococcosis has affected 11 different animal species. Mycotic abortion is a serious disease in Victoria. Pythiosis of horses has been extensively studied in northern Australia.

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“…Most reports describe single cases in man (Ellis 1998), cattle (Jensen 1994) or pigs (Mahanta and Chaudhury 1985;Sanford et al 1985). In horses, 'swamp c a n c e r' was considered a special form of mucormycosis until the aetiological agent (Pythium insidiosum) was clearly recognised as an oomycete in 1974 (Austwick and Copland 1974). In fact, true mucormycosis cases in horses seem to be extremely rare (Austin 1976;Carrasco et al 1997;Peet et al 1981;Muttini 1982;Whitton and Kannegieter 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%