Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with nasal sporotrichosis treated with beta-glucan
By Guterres, Karina Affeldt et al.·Published in Mycopathologia·2014·Mestranda em Clí, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: The use of (1-3) β-glucan along with itraconazole against canine refractory sporotrichosis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old dog with ulcerated and crusted lesions on its nose was diagnosed with sporotrichosis, a fungal infection caused by Sporothrix brasiliensis. Initially treated with itraconazole, the dog continued to test positive for the fungus after seven months. To improve the treatment, the vet added (1-3) β-glucan, a supplement that helps boost the immune system. After four weeks of this combined treatment, follow-up tests showed that the fungus was completely eliminated, indicating that this approach could be a good option for dogs with resistant cases of sporotrichosis.
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Abstract
Sporotrichosis, caused by the Sporothrix schenckii fungal complex, is a zoonotic mycosis distributed worldwide. Itraconazole is the treatment of choice for domestic animals although some fungal isolates have shown resistance to this drug. The objective of this study was to report, for the first time, the use of (1-3) β-glucan along with itraconazole in the treatment of a canine with sporotrichosis caused by Sporothrix brasiliensis. The animal had ulcerated and crusted lesions, especially on the nasal planum. Clinical samples were collected for a complete blood count, cytological analysis of the lesion, and fungal culture. Based on the results of the laboratory examination, and after the fungal culture, antibiotic therapy and treatment with itraconazole were initiated. Two additional fungal cultures were performed, which were positive. After 7 months of the animal treatment with itraconazole, the S. brasiliensis culture was still positive, so that the itraconazole was associated with (1-3) β-glucan. After four weekly applications of glucan, the complete elimination of the fungus was observed based on the fungal culture negative results. The results show, therefore, that (1-3) β-glucan with itraconazole promoted the case resolution, and it may be considered a promising alternative for the treatment of sporotrichosis in cases of resistance to conventional therapy.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24652238/