Disseminated paracoccidioidomycosis in a captive western black-handed tamarin (Saguinus niger).

Abstract

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is an endemic fungal disease that occurs in Latin America and primarily affects humans. The disease has been rarely documented in non-human primates. This report details a disseminated and fatal case of PCM caused by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in a western black-handed tamarin (Saguinus niger) under human care. Histopathological examination revealed extensive pyogranulomatous inflammation in the lungs, spleen, liver, lymph nodes, kidneys, epididymis, right testicle, heart, adrenal gland and intestines, associated with characteristic yeast forms consistent with Paracoccidioides spp and confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Molecular analysis indicated a high nucleotide similarity with P. brasiliensis sequences for both the 18S rRNA and gp43 genes. This naturally occurring infection highlights the susceptibility of these animals to PCM and their role in ecoepidemiology warrants further investigation.