Chronic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis in a horse with Cushing’s syndrome.

This study reports an unusual form of chronic lung infection (aspergillosis) in a horse with Cushing’s syndrome, using a panel of specialized antibodies to confirm the diagnosis.

Background of the Study

• The study examines an atypical case of chronic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis in a horse. Bronchopulmonary aspergillosis is a lung infection that typically affects humans, caused by the fungus Aspergillus. This ailment is rare in horses and usually presents with different symptoms.
• The horse in this study also had Cushing’s syndrome, a condition that occurs due to high levels of the hormone cortisol.

Findings of the Study

• The infection presented with an unusual hyphal morphology, which means that the fungus was growing in an abnormal pattern.
• The researchers noted that the location of the fungal growth in the horse’s lungs (in chronic ectatic bronchi and bronchioles, and juxtabronchiolar processes) is similar to certain forms of aspergillosis seen in humans, specifically ‘saprophytic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis’ or ‘semi-invasive pulmonary aspergillosis’. This is an important finding as it suggests that aspergillosis can also manifest in this way in horses, which had not been observed previously.

Methods and Diagnosis

• The diagnosis of aspergillosis in this horse was confirmed using immunohistochemical techniques. These techniques involve using antibodies to detect and identify specific substances in cells or tissues.
• In this study, the researchers used a panel of monospecific (recognize and bind to a single substance) polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to pinpoint the Aspergillus fungus in the horse’s lung tissue.
• This application of immunohistochemical techniques enabled the definitive etiological (relating to the cause of the disease) diagnosis of aspergillosis in this horse.