Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with chronic cough and nasal sores caused by Prototheca infection
By Whipple, Kellie M et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2020·Department of Comparative, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Cytologic, histologic, microbiologic, and electron microscopic characterization of a canine Prototheca wickerhamii infection.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog was brought to the vet for a chronic cough and recently developed sore, red nostrils with nasal discharge. Tests showed unusual organisms in the lymph nodes, which were identified as Prototheca wickerhamii, a type of algae. The vet treated the infection, and while the abstract does not specify the exact treatment, it indicates that the diagnosis was confirmed through various tests, including cultures and DNA sequencing. The outcome for the dog is not detailed, but identifying the infection is a crucial step in determining the appropriate treatment.
People also search for: dog cough and nasal discharge · Prototheca wickerhamii infection in dogs · treatment for dog nasal discharge
Abstract
An adult dog was presented for chronic cough and a recent development of ulcerated, erythematous nares with nasal discharge. Cytology of enlarged peripheral lymph nodes revealed many intracellular and extracellular organisms. These round or rarely oval organisms measured approximately 5-9 µm in diameter and frequently contained several globular structures, ranging from deeply basophilic to magenta. A thin, clear halo was present. Smaller 1-2 µm, magenta forms were also observed. Fungal culture yielded small, wet, raised, irregularly shaped, white to pale tan colonies. Microbiologic staining of cultured material revealed features suggestive of algae. Histopathology of the lymph nodes revealed marked granulomatous inflammation with intralesional algal organisms suggestive of Prototheca. Electron microscopic findings were also consistent with protothecosis. Polymerase chain reaction, followed by direct DNA sequencing, identified the organism as Prototheca wickerhamii. A brief literature review discussing protothecosis in veterinary medicine is included.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32468599/