Naturally occurring histoplasmosis in the chinchilla (Chinchilla laniger)

Abstract

Histoplasmosis was diagnosed histopathologically in a female chinchilla. This animal had originated from a commercial chinchilla ranch in central Missouri. Seventeen of 130 animals in the colony had died within a month's period with a respiratory illness. This animal had a history of fur chewing, but this was not true of all the other animals that had died. Histoplasma capsulatum was cultured from timothy hay used for food.

Concomitant Congenital Diaphagmatic Hernia (CDH) and bilateral bacterial glomerulonephritis in a pet chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera)

“…Glomerulonephritis is responsible for substantial morbidity and mortality in many species of animals [ 4 ]. Few cases of nephritis are described in Chinchillas ( Chinchilla lanigera ) [ 5 – 7 ]. Five cases of nephritis by Salmonella spp.…”

“…In this female Chinchilla, the kidney presented multiple focal areas of glomerular nephritis characterised by an accumulation of polymorphonuclear cells in the proximal tubules. Aggregates of H. capsulatum yeast cells were present in glomerular epithelioid cells [ 7 ]. In this report, no scar tissue or thickening involved margins of the pathological diaphragm window, set between muscular pillars in the central tendon supporting the hypothesis of a congenital defect.…”

“…CDHs in small animals are usually considered to be chance embryonic anomalies rather than heritable defects, while traumatic diaphragmatic hernias occur due to blunt abdominal traumas, like car accidents, falls or other traumatic abdominal injuries [ 1 – 3 ]. Glomerulonephritis constitutes an important category of renal diseases in animals most often resulting from immune-mediated mechanisms [ 1 ], generally after the deposition of soluble immune complexes within the glomeruli, or caused by the formation of antibodies directed against antigens within the glomerular basement membrane [ 4 – 7 ]. The present paper describes a case of concomitant CDH and a bilateral bacterial glomerulonephritis in a pet chinchilla ( Chinchilla lanigera ).…”

Disseminated histoplasmosis in an African pygmy hedgehog

“…3,[5][6][7] Histoplasmosis in humans, dogs, cats, horses, pigs, and cattle has been reported. 6,8 Zoo, exotic, and small mammal pet species affected with histoplasmosis include domestic rodents, skunks, woodchucks, raccoons, baboons, Kodiak bears, badgers, red and gray foxes, 8 llamas, 9 rabbits, 10 chinchillas, 11 owl monkeys, 12 rhesus monkeys, 13 Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, 14 sea otters, 15 harp seals, 16 mara, 17 and Fennec foxes. 18 The body of literature relating to medicine and surgery for African pygmy hedgehogs is limited, but it is known that neoplasia is common in this species.…”

“…Therefore, the role of the bedding in this case is not known. Although bedding material or the immediate environment has been previously incriminated in reports 11,18 of histoplasmosis among animals, often the source of exposure cannot be specifically identified.…”