Nannizziopsis guarroi infection in 2 Inland Bearded Dragons (Pogona vitticeps): clinical, cytologic, histologic, and ultrastructural aspects.

Abstract

Chrysosporium-related infections have been increasingly reported in reptiles over the last 2 decades. In this report, we describe clinical, cytologic, histopathologic, and ultrastructural aspects of Chrysosporium-related infection in 2 Inland Bearded Dragons (Pogona vitticeps). Case 1 was presented for an enlarging raised lesion over the left eye and multiple additional masses over the dorsum. Case 2 was submitted to necropsy by the referring veterinarian for suspected yellow fungus disease. Impression smears of the nodules in case 1 revealed granulomatous to pyogranulomatous inflammation and many septate, variably long, 4-10 μm wide, often undulated hyphae, and very rare conidia. Postmortem impression smears of the superficial lesions of case 2 contained large numbers of solitary conidia and arthroconidia and low numbers of hyphae with similar morphology to case 1. Histopathology of the 2 cases revealed severe, multifocal, chronic, ulcerative, nodular pyogranulomatous dermatitis, with myriad intralesional septate hyphae, and arthroconidia. Fungal culture and molecular sequencing in both cases indicated infection with Nannizziopsis guarroi.