Spinal Cryptococcoma in an Immunocompetent Cat

Abstract

This report describes an unusual case of primary cryptococcoma in the proximal thoracic spinal cord of an 11-year-old immunocompetent cat from a farm on which there were large numbers of pigeons. This animal was referred for examination with progressive paralysis and shown to be free from feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukaemia virus, feline coronavirus and Toxoplasma gondii. It died 2 months later. At necropsy, the only lesion detected was a malacic area, 4cm in length, in the spinal cord. Histopathological examination of the spinal cord revealed severe granulomatous inflammation associated with large numbers of encapsulated yeast cells. In addition to the granulomatous host response, necrosis, digestion chambers, Gitter cells, spheroids and lymphocytic perivascular cuffs were features of the malacic areas. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the presence of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii yeast cells.

Brain and lung cryptococcoma and concurrent corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection in a goat: a case report

“…This is an important epidemiological aspect since C. gattii has been identified as a primary pathogen and led to other infections in both humans and other animals (2,4,5,(12)(13)(14)(15). In addition, an association between C. neoformans and Mycobacterium bovis infection has already been described in goat, generating a granulomatous pneumonia (4).…”

“…Traditionally, the natural habitat of C. gattii is mainly associated with several tree species (3). Moreover, cryptococcosis is characterized as an invasive fungal infection most commonly caused by one of two species normally defined as subacute or chronic, and often confused with viral or bacterial meningoencephalitis or other infections, including tuberculosis (3)(4)(5). Besides, there are substantial differences in the ecology that can influence directly on cryptococcosis epidemiology (3).…”

“…Besides, there are substantial differences in the ecology that can influence directly on cryptococcosis epidemiology (3). Recently, C. gattii has been described to be associated with non-immunocompromised individual infection, resulting in a severe meningoencephalitis disorder in a domestic cat (5).…”

Clinical Signs, Imaging Features, Neuropathology, and Outcome in Cats and Dogs with Central Nervous System Cryptococcosis from California

“…13,14 Properties of cryptococcal species and strain also may influence the inflammatory response. 15 Much of our knowledge about clinical signs, diagnosis, advanced imaging, and neuropathology findings in dogs and cats with CNS cryptococcosis has been based on single case reports, [16][17][18][19][20][21][22] small case series, 5,23 or book chapters. 4,24,25 CNS pathology in dogs and cats with cryptococcosis and how it relates to the host inflammatory response, infecting cryptococcal species, and the results of CNS imaging have not been investigated.…”

Cerebral Cryptococcomas in a Cow

“…However, there is one report of spinal cord cryptococcosis without respiratory manifestation in a cat (Belluco et al, 2008) and a citation of bovine cerebral cryptococcosis within a retrospective study of neurological dysfunction in cattle from northeastern Brazil (Galiza et al, 2010). In the latter case, it is unclear if the disease was restricted to the brain.…”