Mycology

Candida steatolytica causing systemic candidiasis in a group of African spurred tortoises (Centrochelys sulcata)

“…In reptile medicine, inadequate husbandry such as crowding, poor sanitation or suboptimal temperatures, predispose to mycotic infections 4,7,8,16 . Such predisposing factors can only be speculated in the present case.…”

“…The site of initial infection in the present case could not be clearly identified but was either the lungs, oral cavity or stomach, as there was evidence of vascular invasion by the fungus secondary to tissue damage in all three locations. Both lungs and stomach have been reported to be affected in reptiles with systemic mycosis 4,7,8,15,24 . Mycotic pneumonia consecutive to aspiration of oropharyngeal material, is often described in chelonians, with an overrepresentation of giant tortoises 4,7 .…”

“…A histological examination is required to confirm an invasive mycosis, and the presence of necrosis and inflammation in direct association with fungal structures allows exclusion of fungal invasion of devitalised tissue 4,9 . For definitive identification, fungal culture with subsequent molecular identification is needed 4,8,15 . Even though the mycosis was not definitely verified in animals #2 and #3, the clinical presentation, history of browsing on pruned rotting vine shoots and leaves, the lesions in animal #2 and the relative monocytosis, are comparative to animal #1 and indicative of an active granulomatous inflammatory process 26 …”

“…Although fungal diseases are becoming more recognised in veterinary medicine, they are often not a top differential diagnosis and still diagnosed primarily at necropsy. This is especially true in chelonians, which often exhibit non‐specific clinical signs, and where a comprehensive clinical examination without sedation is hindered by the common lack of compliance in species such as the ones in this case and the specific anatomy of these animals 4,8 …”

“…Systemic candidiasis is rarely reported, especially when compared to its occurrence in birds and mammals, 5–7 although it is believed that fungal infections are underdiagnosed in reptiles 4 . Furthermore, in many reports the fungi were not fully identified, and conclusions were often drawn based on the fungal morphology in histological sections, without further identification by culture, thus leading to assumption and inconsistencies 4,8,9 . On the other hand, histopathology is essential to confirm an invasive mycosis and distinguish it from post‐mortem tissue colonisation 9 …”