Rare cat gut disease linked to Candida albicans infection

Abstract

Feline gastrointestinal eosinophilic sclerosing fibroplasia (FGESF) is a rare and poorly understood disease characterised by the infiltration of eosinophils and the development of fibrous tissue within the gastrointestinal tract of cats. A 2-year-old female neutered Ragdoll was presented for signs consistent with extrahepatic biliary tract obstruction (EHBO), including jaundice, hyporexia and lethargy. Marked progressive hyperbilirubinemia and mild anaemia were also present. Abdominal ultrasonography suggested a duodenal mass and pancreatitis as the cause of EHBO. Cytopathological results from fine needle aspirates detected mast cells and eosinophils in the duodenal mass and eosinophils in the spleen and the liver, suggestive of a possible mast cell tumour. A cholecystojejunostomy and a duodenotomy were performed to divert the biliary outflow and obtain biopsy samples, respectively. Eosinophilic sclerosing fibroplasia in the duodenal mass and fungal elements in an abdominal lymph node were reported on histopathological examination. A pan-fungal PCR targeting ITS2 performed on DNA extracted from an abdominal lymph node detected Candida albicans. This report adds to the growing body of evidence that FGESF can occur in association with fungal infections.