Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii-Induced Arthritis with Encephalitic Dissemination in a Dog and Review of Published Literature

Abstract

This article describes the clinical, pathological, and immunohistochemical findings associated with Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii in a 4-year-old female Boxer dog from Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Southeastern Brazil. Clinically, there was a swelling at the right metatarsal region and the hock joint with enlargement of regional lymph nodes. Radiographical evaluation revealed lysis of the tarsal bone; cytology demonstrated cryptococcal intralesional organisms at the swollen joint. Despite empirical antifungals therapeutic, the animal developed neurological cryptococcosis and died spontaneously. Significant pathological alterations included arthritis, lymphadenitis, and encephalitic cryptococcomas associated with numerous intralesional narrow-necked budding encapsulated yeasts. Immunohistochemistry utilising monoclonal antibodies that label C. neoformans sp. complex capsule, characterised the yeasts as C. neoformans var. grubii. Collectively, the pathological and immunohistochemical findings of this dog indicate that the intralesional organisms observed within the articular surface of the hock joint, lymph nodes, and the brain were C. neoformans var. grubii, confirming the participation of this fungal pathogen in the development of cryptococcal arthritis. In this case, the most likely pathogenesis was percutaneous inoculation with resultant abscess-like lesion, which resulted in the draining sinus, swelling of the right hind limb with progression to the articular disease. Thereafter, the fungal pathogen probably compromised the adjacent lymph nodes with subsequent haematogenous distribution to the brain, terminating with cryptococcal arthritis, lymphadenitis, and encephalitis.

Pathologic, histochemical, and immunohistochemical findings in pulmonary and encephalitic cryptococcosis in a goat

“…Cryptococcomas similar to those in our goat have been described in cryptococcosis of companion animals, 9,10 cows, 15,16 and in a goat from São Paulo, Brazil. 14 In the case of caprine cryptococcosis from São Paulo, 14 pulmonary and encephalitic cryptococcomas were described (speciation was carried out by primers specifically targeting genus Cryptococcus ), and there was evidence of a concomitant infection with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis .…”

Fungal infections in animals: a patchwork of different situations

“…152 Among pets, a higher number of CNS involvement in dogs was found, whereas subcutaneous masses were shown more frequently in cats. 153 CNS involvement was associated with higher mortality rates. In addition, gastrointestinal infections in dogs have been reported.…”

Fungal pneumonia in dogs and cats with pulmonary clinical signs in southern Brazil

“…Among the fungi that can cause pneumonia, cryptococcosis has the largest number of cases reported in Brazil; however, case reports describe patients mainly with neurological signs (Marcasso et al 2005, Martins et al 2008, Campos et al 2009, Galiza et al 2014, Headley et al 2016, one dog with cutaneous infestation (Martins et al 2014) and another with nasal infection (Pereira et al 2013). Dog A in this study, besides cough with no response to antibiotic treatment, had other clinical signs compatible with a mycotic disease, including fever, lymphadenopathy, and hyphema (Ferreira et al 2007, Greene & Bromel 2012, Hawkins 2014.…”