Canine paracoccidioidomycosis

Abstract

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a severe disease caused by the dimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, which is characterized by granulomatous pulmonary and systemic lesions, affecting mainly men between 20 and 60 years of age. Reports of PCM disease in animals are rare, but the disease has been described in armadillos. On the other hand, PCM infection of domestic and wild animals detected by serological or cutaneous tests in the absence of apparent disease has been frequently reported. We present here the case of a female adult Doberman that developed cervical lymphadenomegaly. Histopathological examination of a cervical biopsy specimen revealed active PCM, with an epithelioid, granulomatous inflammation containing numerous yeast-like, multiple budding fungal forms. The diagnosis of PCM was confirmed by immunohistochemistry using a specific antibody anti-gp43 and by nested PCR using primers for the amplification of the gp43 gene region. This is the first report of PCM disease occurring in a dog, an animal that has been shown to play an important role in the natural history of North American blastomycosis.

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis: phylogenetic and ecological aspects

“…Specific P. brasiliensis DNA amplicons were detected in samples of mesenteric lymph node, spleen, lung, adrenal glands, and kidney of Cavia aperea (''guinea pig''), in lung and liver of Sphiggurus spinosus (''porcupine''), in lungs of Gallictis vittata (''grison'') and Procyon cancrivoros (''raccoon''), as well as in several organs of the nine-and seven-banded armadillos (Dasypus septemcinctus), thus indicating that in endemic areas P. brasiliensis infection in wild animals, exhibiting a certain systemic dissemination, might be more common than initially supposed. In fact, intradermal tests have also indicated that several wild and domestic animals could be infected by the fungus [72], and PCM disease was recently confirmed to occur in dogs [73,74].…”

Epidemiology, Clinical, and Therapeutic Aspects of Paracoccidioidomycosis

“…The study showed positivity rates ranging from 14.5 % to 89.5 %, using the ELISA technique [19]. In addition, in 2004, the first confirmed case of paracoccidioidomycosis in a dog with a strictly urban life was reported [20].…”

Paracoccidiodomicose em animais silvestres e domésticos

“…Fagundes et al (2002) encontraram uma positividade de 26,5% em estudo soroepidemiológico com 275 cães de áreas rurais da região de Botucatu (SP), utilizando ELISA com exoantígeno de P. brasiliensis. Ricci et al (2004) relataram o primeiro caso de PCM-doença em cão. O animal apresentou aumento dos linfonodos cervicais e a confirmação da doença foi feita por meio de exames histopatológico, de imunohistoquímica e de biologia molecular (PCR) embora não tenha ocorrido isolamento do fungo.…”