Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Myelopathy caused by Cladophialophora bantiana in a dog and a cat.
- Journal:
- Australian veterinary journal
- Year:
- 2025
- Authors:
- McLeay, L et al.
- Affiliation:
- Small Animal Specialist Hospital · United Kingdom
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
This report discusses a rare fungal infection caused by Cladophialophora bantiana that affected both a dog and a cat, leading to serious spinal cord problems. The first case involved a 10-month-old male Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who suddenly became weak in all four legs and had neck pain. Despite treatment with antibiotics and steroids, his condition worsened, and he was put to sleep; tests later confirmed the presence of the fungus. The second case was a 4-year-old male neutered domestic short hair cat that lost the ability to walk in its back legs. After being euthanized, it was found that the cat had severe bone infection in its spine, which was also linked to the same fungus. Both cases show how this fungus can cause serious spinal issues, but the exact way the animals got infected is not clear, though it might have been through inhaling spores or through wounds. Unfortunately, neither animal survived the infection.
Abstract
Cladophialophora bantiana is a neurotropic phaeohyphomycotic fungal organism. The most common neural manifestation of C. bantiana infection is brain abscessation or systemic phaeohyphomycosis. This is the first report of spinal cord dysfunction as the presenting clinical manifestation of this disease in dogs and cats. This report describes two cases of myelopathy caused by C. bantiana infection in a dog and a cat. Case 1, a 10-month-old male entire Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (CKCS) was presented for acute onset tetraparesis and cervical pain. Magnetic resonance imaging identified a focal, rim contrast-enhancing intramedullary lesion in the cervical spinal cord. The dog was treated empirically with antibiotics and corticosteroids but clinically deteriorated and was humanely euthanased. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of tissue samples of the lesion collected via post-mortem examination identified C. bantiana. Case 2, a 4-year-old male neutered domestic short hair cat, was presented with non-ambulatory paraparesis. The cat was humanely euthanased, and post-mortem examination revealed severe osteomyelitis of the 12th thoracic vertebral lamina, causing spinal cord compression and degeneration. Lesions were also found in the kidneys, spleen and lungs. Fungal hyphae were identified in the urine, and panfungal PCR and sequencing of the fungus cultured from tissue samples identified C. bantiana. These cases demonstrate two manifestations by which C. bantiana infection may cause spinal cord dysfunction: pyogranulomatous myelitis or vertebral osteomyelitis causing spinal cord compression and degeneration. The route of infection is unknown in both cases; however, it is considered most likely via inhalation of fungal spores or inoculation of wounds.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40130692/