[Diagnosis and therapy of air sac mycoses in the horse].

The research paper discusses the diagnosis and treatment of air sac mycoses, a the fungal disease that develops within guttural pouches of horses. The disease is caused by various fungal species, commonly Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Candida and is prevalent among stable horses during the summer. Diagnosis involves histological examination and mycological techniques. The disease may have fatal consequences in late stages, therefore timely diagnosis and effective therapy is crucial.

The Disease and Its Causes

• The study focuses on a fungal infection known as air sac mycoses, specifically occurring in the guttural pouches of horses. These pouches are air-filled extensions located near the horse’s pharynx.
• The disease results from the growth and spread of certain fungal species, with Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Candida being the primary culprits. These fungi cause an inflammatory reaction in the horse’s body which takes on a diphtheroid-necrotizing form.
• The majority of the cases are witnessed among horses kept in stables and are most prevalent during the summer months.

Diagnosis of the Disease

• For an accurate diagnosis, a combination of mycological detection techniques and tissue-based histological examinations is often required.
• The diagnosis process many times includes bioptic endoscopy, where samples are taken from the diseased areas for further examination.

Disease Impact and Treatment

• If left undiagnosed and/or untreated, the late stages of air sac mycoses can be fatal, mainly due to the erosion of the carotid artery or, in severe cases, extensive irreversible cranial nerve damage.
• When the fungi penetrate the brain, there are serious, typically irreversible consequences, leading to a hopeless prognosis.
• Therefore, timely and accurate diagnosis is critical to start an effective antimycotic – anti-fungal – therapy at the earliest to mitigate the development and spread of the disease.
• The article promises to offer nuanced insights into the clinical features of air sac mycoses and the optimal methods of diagnosis and treatment.