Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Signs and treatment of coccidioidomycosis in Arizona cats
By Arbona, Nichole et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2020·College of Veterinary Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Clinical features of cats diagnosed with coccidioidomycosis in Arizona, 2004-2018.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats in Arizona were diagnosed with coccidioidomycosis, a fungal infection that can cause serious respiratory illness and other symptoms. Many of these cats were very sick at the time of diagnosis, with some having infections that spread to their skin. The veterinarians used blood tests to confirm the infection and treated most cats with an antifungal medication called fluconazole. Fortunately, 40 out of 46 cats responded well to the treatment and improved, although some did experience a recurrence of the disease.
People also search for: cat respiratory illness treatment · coccidioidomycosis in cats · fluconazole for cat fungal infection · signs of fungal infection in cats
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to describe the clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment of coccidioidomycosis in cats residing in a region endemic forspecies. METHODS: A retrospective review of records was performed at both primary and tertiary care veterinary practices in Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Data collected included signalment, clinical signs, physical examination findings, diagnostic test results, treatment and outcome. RESULTS: Fifty-one feline cases were identified from six veterinary hospitals. Cats presented with clinical signs and laboratory abnormalities similar to what has been seen in dogs, including respiratory illness (n = 20/51), neutrophilia (n = 24/31), monocytosis (n = 17/31) and hyperglobulinemia (n = 16/30). However, cats at diagnosis were typically significantly ill, with 31/51 having disseminated infection, most commonly to the skin (n = 22). Additionally, 43/44 cats that had serum antibody tests performed were positive, and median titer at diagnosis was 1:32 (range 1:4 to ⩾1:256). Serum antibody titers were significantly reduced (⩽0.001) in cats that responded to treatment compared with cats that did not clinically improve. Forty of 46 cats that were treated with oral fluconazole responded and did not require additional therapy. Fourteen cats developed recurrent disease and all but one had antifungal therapy successfully reinstituted. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Coccidioidomycosis is a disease of concern for cats residing in the regions endemic forspecies. Disease is most often disseminated at the time of diagnosis, possibly due to delays in presentation for care and recognition of the infection. Suspicion of disease, serum chemistries, blood cell counts, presence of antibody and imaging aid in the diagnosis of coccidioidomycosis in cats. Serum antibody reduction during treatment frequently correlated with an adequate response to medication. Consideration of coccidioidomycosis as a cause of illness will lead to earlier diagnosis and potentially better treatment outcomes in cats.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30784342/