Fungal Diseases Flashcards
What is the organism that causes blastomycosis?
Blastomyces dermatitidis
With blastomyces, what are the 2 routes of infection?
- Inhalation
2. Direction inoculation
How long is the incubation period of blastomycosis?
1-3 months
What is the “poster dog” for blastomycosis?
- Young (2-4 yrs.)
2. Large, hunting breed
What are the clinical signs associated with blastomycosis?
- Fever, anorexia, weight loss
- Respiratory signs: cough, tachypnea, harsh lung sounds
- Skin signs: draining lesions
- Ocular signs: uveitis
- Lameness: osteomyelitis
What abnormalities would you see on blood work with blastomycosis?
- Low albumin
- High globulins
- Hypercalcemia
What type of diagnostics would you want to run with blastomycosis?
- Cytology: FNA, CSF, impression smear, lung wash
- Radiographs
- Galactomannan
- Culture
What would you see on radiographs with blastomycosis?
- Osteolysis with periosteal reactions
2. Miliary to nodular lung pattern
What is the drug of choice used in treating blasto?
Itraconazole
What is the drug of choice in treating blasto with CNS or ocular involvement?
Fluconazole
What are itraconazole and fluconazole?
Triazoles
What would you give in addition to the itraconazole in treating blasto?
Corticosteroids
How long would you administer anti-fungal treatment in treating blasto?
3 - 6 months
What is the organism responsible for histoplasmosis?
Histoplasma capsulatum
Histoplasma is present in the feces of which species?
Birds and bats
How is histo acquired?
Inhaled
Where is the body does histo replicate?
Alveolar macrophages
What are the clinical signs of histo in cats?
- Respiratory (40%)
- Ocular (25%)
- Skin involvement
- Lymphadenopathy
What are the clinical signs of histo in the dog?
- Primarily GI
- Respiratory
- Ocular
- Skin
- CNS
What would you see on blood work with histo?
- Low albumin
- High globulins
- Increased liver enzymes (ALP, ALT, bilirubin)
- Anemia
What type of diagnostics could you perform to diagnose histoplasmosis?
- Cytology: FNS, CSF, impression smear, lung wash
- Galactomannan
- Imaging: Radiographs
What would you see on radiographs with histoplasmosis?
- Hepato/splenomegaly
- Osteolysis with periosteal reaction
- Tracheobronchial lymphadenopathy
- Variable lung patterns
How would you treat histoplasmosis?
Itraconazole +/- steroids
How would you treat a disseminated case of histoplasmosis?
Amphotericin B
How long would you administer anti-fungal treatment to treat histoplasmosis?
6 - 12 months
