Systemic mycosis due toAspergillus deflectusin a dog

Abstract

A 4-year-old, entire female, German Shepherd Dog was referred with a 3-month history of right foreleg lameness that partially responded to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial therapy. The bitch lost weight, was polydipsic and had reduced exercise tolerance. On referral, the animal was in poor condition, pyrexic and exhibited moderate pain on full extension of the right shoulder. Blood, urine and joint fluid were obtained and radiographs were taken of the right shoulder and chest. The bitch was lymphopaenic, hyperfibrinogenaemic, hyperglobulinaemic, mildly azotaemic, mildly proteinuric and isosthenuric. Branching fungal hyphae were present in the urine. On radiography, the thorax contained a large ventral mediastinal mass and the humeral head had extensive areas of radiolucency. An aspirate from the right humeroscapular joint exhibited branched fungal hyphae and numerous neutrophils and macrophages. A diagnosis of disseminated mycosis was made and euthanasia was performed. At necropsy, numerous caseating granulomas were present, especially in the kidneys, adrenal glands, heart and lymph nodes. Extensive osteomyelitis involved the head of the right humerus, the sternebrae and the fifth intervertebral disc. Fungal hyphae were detected in sections of granulomas in all affected organs and a diagnosis of disseminated fungal granulomatosis was made. Aspergillus deflectus was readily isolated from affected lymph nodes, but confirming its identity as A deflectus using standard procedures proved difficult. The identity of the fungus was finally confirmed by sequencing part of the 185 rRNA of the isolate. This is the first report in Australia of a disseminated mycosis caused by A deflectus. Previously, the involvement of A deflectus as a cause of disseminated mycosis was limited to 5 cases from the West Coast of the USA, four of which occurred in German Shepherd Dogs.

Aspergillus versicolor, a New Causative Agent of Canine Disseminated Aspergillosis

“…Leukocytosis, hyperglobulinemia, azotemia, and hypercalcemia are common clinicopatho- logic features (37). Granulomatous inflammation in multiple organs, including bone, kidney, and spleen, is frequently observed (4,6,21,35), as it was in the current case. The disease can generally be diagnosed based on clinical, radiographic, and pathological findings.…”

“…Clinical presentations of disseminated aspergillosis may include diskospondylitis, osteomyelitis, spinal hyperpathia, vestibular abnormalities, ataxia, paraparesis, weight loss, anorexia, uveitis, lameness, renal failure, and respiratory distress (4,6,35,37). Leukocytosis, hyperglobulinemia, azotemia, and hypercalcemia are common clinicopatho- logic features (37).…”

New taxa in Aspergillus section Usti

“…This species is also common in indoor air (Houbraken et al 2007, Slack et al 2009) and is able to colonise water distribution systems (Hageskal et al 2011). Other species related to A. ustus can also cause human or animal infections; A. granulosus was found to cause disseminated infection in a cardiac transplant patient (Fakih et al 1995), while A. deflectus has been reported to cause disseminated mycosis in dogs (Jang et al 1986, Kahler et al 1990, Robinson et al 2000, Schultz et al 2008, Krockenberger et al 2011). …”

Fungi Isolated From House Flies (Diptera: Muscidae) on Penned Cattle in South Texas

“…While Aspergillus spp. are commonly found on M. domestica (Zarrin et al 2007, Davari et al 2012, Phoku et al 2016), five species isolated here represent the first records: A. deflectus Fennel & Raper, a dermatophyte in dogs that causes otitis externa and paronchyia (Robinson et al 2000); A. ochraceopetaliformis Batista & Maia and A. sydowii Bainier & Sartory, causative agents of onychomycosis (Brasch et al 2009, Nouripour-Sisakht et al 2015); and A. versicolor Vuillemin (Fig. 2B), a prevalent allergen in swine production facilities, that can produce mycotoxins in damp, indoor environments (Engelhart et al 2002, Sabino et al 2012).…”

“…(5, 7)10693.11 Cladosporium cladosporoides Fresen (4)25168175.82Airborne at Texas cattle feedlots (Wilson et al 2002); Flies from horse stables in Germany (Gestmann et al 2012) Cladosporium oxysporum Berkeley & Curtis3532.39Human cutaneous phaeohyphomycosis infections (Gugnani et al 2006) Cladosporium perangustum Bensch et al4472.12 Cladosporium sphaerospermum Penzig1150.68Human respiratory tract infections (Yew et al 2016) Cladosporium tenuissimum Cooke2381.71 Eurotiales Aspergillus sp. (1, 3, 7)2371.67 Aspergillus deflectus Fennel & Raper120.09Canine mycosis (Robinson et al 2000) Aspergillus ochraceopetaliformis Batista et al140.18Onychomycosis (Brasch et al 2009) Aspergillus subramanianii Visagie et al110.05 Aspergillus sydowii Bainier & Sartory1120.54Onychomycosis (Nouripour-Sisakht et al 2015) Aspergillus versicolor Vuillemin270.32Canine aspergillosis (<...>…”