Systemic Mycoses

A retrospective study of chronic nasal disease in 75 dogs

“…Idiopathic LPR is recognised with increasing frequency in the canine population and the diagnosis is made via histopathological identification of a lympho-plasmacytic infiltrate in the nasal mucosa with exclusion of specific causes of chronic inflammation 20 . Fungal rhinitis was not a common diagnosis, with no sex or breed predilection, and was more common in young dogs, which is what has been reported 18 . Only 3 dogs had a positive fungal culture, whereas on histopathology all dogs had a pyogranulomatous rhinitis with the presence of fungal elements.…”

“…In this study it would appear that a combination of rhinoscopy and nasal biopsies was diagnostic for fungal rhinitis, rather than fungal culture. Cryptococcus is an opportunistic systemic fungal infection of worldwide significance that usually originates in the nasal cavity and paranasal tissues and is typically seen in dogs younger than 4 years of age showing signs of upper airway stertor, nasal discharge and sneezing, and epistaxis 18 . Organism identification allows for definitive diagnosis and can usually be made cytologically or histologically.…”

Three cases of feline ocular coccidioidomycosis: presentation, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment

“…5,12 Months to years of therapy is usually recommended for effective treatment of disseminated fungal infections. 13 Systemic corticosteroids, although not frequently used in patients with disseminated fungal diseases, were used in all three cases presented in this manuscript. This choice reflects recent literature that suggests anti-inflammatory doses of corticosteroids may play a role in the preservation of vision in animals with ocular blastomycosis and are unlikely to cause increased mortality.…”