Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Painful ulcerated tail nodule from fungal infection in a cat
By Bitar, Rita et al.·Published in Journal de mycologie medicale·2026·Oniris VetAgroSup Nantes, France·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Cutaneous and subcutaneous nodular scedosporiosis in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 16-year-old domestic cat was brought in with a painful, ulcerated lump at the base of its tail. Tests revealed that the cat had a rare fungal infection caused by Scedosporium sphaerospermum, which is a type of fungus found in soil. The veterinarian tried treating the infection with antifungal medication and a topical treatment, but unfortunately, the cat developed serious complications and passed away. This case highlights how difficult it can be to diagnose and treat certain fungal infections in pets.
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Abstract
This article reports the clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects of a rare case of cutaneous and subcutaneous scedosporiosis in a 16-year-old domestic cat. The animal presented with a painful, ulcerated nodule at the base of the tail. Histopathology and fungal culture confirmed a pyogranulomatous dermatitis with hyaline hyphae, and molecular analysis identified Scedosporium sphaerospermum, a soil-dwelling fungus newly described. Despite targeted antifungal treatment with itraconazole and topical ciclopirox olamine, the cat developed systemic complications and died. This case emphasizes the challenges associated with diagnosing and managing opportunistic fungal infections in companion animals. It is, to the authors' knowledge, the first case of infection caused by S. sphaerospermum.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41621330/