L14: Fungal Disease Pt.1 (Specht) Flashcards
Causative organism of aspergillosis
- Aspergillus fumigatus (nasal)
- Aspergillus terreus (disseminated)
(Ubiquitous opportunistic saprophytic fungi)
Pathophys of aspergillosis
- opportunistic fungal infection
- most common in immunocompromised (or GSDs)
- usually cases either nasal OR disseminated infection
- disseminated dz found in 2-8 yr old GSDs or younger immunocompromised cats most commonly
Possible CS of aspergillosis
- vertebral pain
- paraparesis
- paraplegia
- discospondylitis
- lameness w/ swelling, draining tracts
- kidney dz
- pyrexia, anorexia, weakness, lethargy, muscle wasting, weight loss
- uveitis and endophthalmitis
- pulmonary disease w/ pyogranulomatous inflammation
Dx of aspergillosis
MDB usually has NSF:
- CBC: mature neutrophilia, monocytosis, eosinophilia
- Chem: hyperproteinemia, inc. BUN/ALP/ALT and/or amylase
- UA: may contain fungal hyphae
- serology (positive test only tells you exposure to aspergillus or other systemic mycosis)
- Rads
- US
- MRI/CT
- Cytology/Histopath: presence of hyphae
- Culture/PCR: definitive dx
What changes do you expect to find on rads with aspergillus?
- diskospondylitis
- osteomyelitis
- thoracic lymphadenomegaly
What changes do you expect to find on ultrasound with aspergillus?
- kidneys: pelvic dilation/lesions
- spleen: evidence of nodules/prior infarction
- lymph nodes
*not specific findings
Tx of aspergillosis
- not cureable, poor prognosis if systemic
- Tx: itraconazole, fluconazole, amphotericin B, voriconazole, porsaconazole, caspofungin, etc.
- amphotericin good but can cause kidney dz
- fluconazole and itraconazole less expensive but might not work well
-tx may be required for months to years
Sporotrichosis causative agent
Sporothrix schenckii
- a saprophytic, opportunistic mold/yeast
- mold form in environment, yeast form in the animal
- ubiquitous, worldwide distr.
- thermally dimorphic
Pathophys./CS of sporotrichosis
- affects cats much more than dogs
- cutaneous form most common
- spread via lymphatics +/- blood
- can affect immunoCOMPETENT cats
- penetrating wound can incite
CS: draining skin lesions most common
Dx/Lab findings of Sporotrichosis
CBC: +/- low TP, high globulins, low albumin
Dx: -cytology -culture -histopath \+/- serology
- must use CS, not cytology alone, to make dx. Can look like Malassezia yeast on a skin scrape/cytology
Tx of sportrichosis
*guarded prognosis
Long-term (16-18 wks) tx required with terbinafine, itra, voraconazole, or fluconazole
T/F: sportrichosis is potentially zoonotic**
T
Oomycetes kingdom
Stramenopila
Pathogenic species of oomycetes
Pythium insidiosum
Lagenidium sp.
Similarities b/w oomycetes and fungus
- growth on same culture mediums
- similar morphological appearance
- some similarities in clinical presentations
