Dog in Australia diagnosed with first local fungal infection

Abstract

A 2-year-old Rottweiler dog from Perth (WA, Australia) was referred for assessment of a chronic productive cough and weight loss.Severely enlarged bilateral superficial cervical lymph nodes and severely enlarged abdominal organs were present. The body condition score was poor and there was moderate muscle wasting. Thoracic and abdominal computed tomography images revealed severe diffuse enlargement of thoracic and abdominal lymph nodes, hepatomegaly and diffuse splenomegaly. A diffuse bronchial pattern with severe multifocal saccular bronchiectasis was identified in the lungs.Fungal organisms were seen within macrophages on cytological preparations and on histopathological sections of biopsies of the superficial cervical lymph node. Macrophages contained intracytoplasmic, non-filamentous round-to-ovoid organisms, which varied in size from 5-30 µm in diameter with variable morphology. Budding was not observed, and no hyphae were present. Fungal culture of lymph node tissue resulted in growth ofwhich was confirmed by amplification and sequencing of a segment of the 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer. Concurrent bacterial bronchitis was diagnosed on culture of broncho-alveolar fluid.Disseminated aspergillosis caused by.This is believed to be the first report of infection caused byin a dog in Australasia. The dog was treated with itraconazole for 7 months and was still alive 7 months after the start of treatment.