Cryptococcosis in seven horses.
Abstract: The clinical, radiographic and post-mortem findings in 6 horses with cryptococcal pneumonia and one horse with an abdominal cryptococcal granuloma are described. In pulmonary cryptococcosis, the lesions were either diffuse and multiple, with bilateral lung involvement, or localised mainly to the dorsocaudal region of one lung. The cases of diffuse multiple cryptococcosis were thought to be associated with haematogenous spread of the fungus after gastrointestinal infection and dissemination from regional lymph nodes. The localised form of the disease was thought to have been associated with inhalation of cryptococci. In all cases of pulmonary cryptococcosis, encapsulated yeast-like organisms were demonstrated in Wright's-stained sediment of tracheal washes. In the horse with the abdominal granuloma, cryptococci were present in a fine needle aspirate sample. Isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans var gattii were recovered from 2 of the 5 horses in which cultures were attempted. In addition to a history of previous illness that may have predisposed to infection, most horses in this report had been in areas in which Eucalyptus camaldulensis, or the closely related E rudis, were growing. In humans, an epidemiological relationship between E camaldulensis and infection with C neoformans var gattii has been suggested. Cases of equine cryptococcosis carry a poor prognosis and treatment was not attempted in any of these cases.
Publication Date: 1992-06-01 PubMed ID: 1642596DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1992.tb07482.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research focuses on the findings of a study conducted on seven horses affected by Cryptococcosis, a disease caused by the Cryptococcus neoformans fungus, analyzing specifics regarding its impact, spread, and potential connections to particular types of Eucalyptus trees.
Clinical Findings
- The research conducts a clinical evaluation on seven horses affected by Cryptococcosis—six with cryptococcal pneumonia and one with an abdominal cryptococcal granuloma.
- The lesions in horses with pulmonary Cryptococcosis were either diffused and multiple, with a bilateral lung involvement, or localised primarily to the dorsocaudal region of one lung.
- There are different theories on the spread of the disease. The cases of diffuse multiple cryptococcosis might be associated with haematogenous spread of the fungus after a gastrointestinal infection, as well as dissemination from regional lymph nodes. The localized form of the disease, however, may be associated with inhalation of cryptococci.
Analysis of Samples and Findings
- For the diagnosis, the study used encapsulated yeast-like organisms identified in Wright’s-stained sediment of tracheal washes among all cases of pulmonary cryptococcosis.
- In the horse with the abdominal granuloma, the presence of cryptococci was found in a fine needle aspirate sample.
- In two out of five horses where cultures were attempted, the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans var gattii was isolated.
Eucalyptus Trees and Cryptococcosis
- An interesting finding of this study was the possible connection between the occurrence of Cryptococcosis and the presence of Eucalyptus camaldulensis, or the related E. rudis trees, in areas where the horses lived.
- This finding correlates with human studies that have suggested an epidemiological relationship between E. camaldulensis and infection with C. neoformans var gattii.
Prognosis and Treatment
- The research concludes that equine Cryptococcosis has a poor prognosis, and no treatment was attempted in the veterinary practice for any of the cases reviewed in this study.
Cite This Article
APA
Riley CB, Bolton JR, Mills JN, Thomas JB.
(1992).
Cryptococcosis in seven horses.
Aust Vet J, 69(6), 135-139.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-0813.1992.tb07482.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- School of Veterinary Studies, Murdoch University, Western Australia.
MeSH Terms
- Abdomen
- Animals
- Cryptococcosis / diagnostic imaging
- Cryptococcosis / pathology
- Cryptococcosis / veterinary
- Female
- Granuloma / diagnostic imaging
- Granuloma / pathology
- Granuloma / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / diagnostic imaging
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Lung Diseases, Fungal / diagnostic imaging
- Lung Diseases, Fungal / pathology
- Lung Diseases, Fungal / veterinary
- Male
- Radiography
Citations
This article has been cited 9 times.- Allano M, Grimes C, Boivin R, Smith G, Dumaresq J, Leclere M. Cryptococcus gattii pneumonia in an adult horse which had travelled in an endemic area. Can Vet J 2019 Dec;60(12):1295-1300.
- Cook JR, Russell KE, Eden KB, Rodrigues-Hoffmann A. Mesenteric cryptococcal granuloma in a dog caused by Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii. Vet Med (Auckl) 2012;3:93-98.
- Secombe CJ, Lester GD, Krockenberger MB. Equine Pulmonary Cryptococcosis: A Comparative Literature Review and Evaluation of Fluconazole Monotherapy. Mycopathologia 2017 Apr;182(3-4):413-423.
- Cogliati M. Global Molecular Epidemiology of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii: An Atlas of the Molecular Types. Scientifica (Cairo) 2013;2013:675213.
- Cardoso PH, Baroni Fde A, Silva EG, Nascimento DC, Martins Mdos A, Szezs W, Paula CR. Feline nasal granuloma due to Cryptoccocus gattii type VGII. Mycopathologia 2013 Oct;176(3-4):303-7.
- Carriconde F, Gilgado F, Arthur I, Ellis D, Malik R, van de Wiele N, Robert V, Currie BJ, Meyer W. Clonality and α-a recombination in the Australian Cryptococcus gattii VGII population--an emerging outbreak in Australia. PLoS One 2011 Feb 24;6(2):e16936.
- Duncan C, Stephen C, Campbell J. Clinical characteristics and predictors of mortality for Cryptococcus gattii infection in dogs and cats of southwestern British Columbia. Can Vet J 2006 Oct;47(10):993-8.
- Campisi E, Mancianti F, Pini G, Faggi E, Gargani G. Investigation in Central Italy of the possible association between Cryptococcus neoformans var. Gattii and Eucalyptus camaldulensis. Eur J Epidemiol 2003;18(4):357-62.
- Sorrell TC, Brownlee AG, Ruma P, Malik R, Pfeiffer TJ, Ellis DH. Natural environmental sources of Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii. J Clin Microbiol 1996 May;34(5):1261-3.
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