Disseminated acute concomitant aspergillosis and mucormycosis in a pony.
Abstract: A 6-year-old female pony died after 2 days of prostration. Clinical signs included hyperthermia and abnormal pulmonary auscultation sounds. Necropsy revealed diffuse severe necrohaemorrhagic colitis and splenitis, multiple visceral ecchymoses, petechial haemorrhages in the brain and lungs. Microscopical examination showed acute necrohaemorrhagic colitis, encephalitis, pneumonia and splenitis associated with fibrinoid vasculitis, thrombosis and fungal hyphae within and around vessels. Immunohistologically, concomitant aspergillosis (caused by Aspergillus fumigatus) and mucormycosis (causde by Absidia corymbifera) were identified in the colonic and pulmonary lesions, whereas pure mucormycosis was observed in cerebral and splenic lesions. Dual mycotic infections are very rarely described, and the present case emphasizes the need of immunohistochemistry in order to obtain a clear-cut diagnosis of mixed fungal infections.
Publication Date: 2005-04-20 PubMed ID: 15836442DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0442.2005.00700.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Case Reports
- Journal Article
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The research article details a case of a pony that had both aspergillosis and mucormycosis, rare fungal infections that eventually led to its death. Such a combined occurrence of these infections has been seldom reported.
Background
- The research concerns a 6-year-old female pony that died after exhibiting symptoms including high temperature and abnormalities in the sounds made during examination of the lungs.
Findings at Necropsy
- The post-mortem examination showed several severe conditions in the pony. These conditions included diffuse necrohaemorrhagic colitis (a severe inflammation in the colon with bleeding and tissue death), and splenitis (inflammation of the spleen).
- Multiple spots of bleeding under the skin, seen in organs throughout the body (visceral ecchymoses), was observed.
- The brain and lungs had minute spots of bleeding that could not be seen by the naked eye (petechial haemorrhages).
Microscopic Assessment and Diagnoses
- Microscopic examination confirmed the necrohaemorrhagic colitis, inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), inflammation of the lungs (pneumonia) and splenitis.
- The presence of fibrinoid vasculitis (inflammation and damage to the blood vessels) and thrombosis (blood clots) along with fungal filaments (hyphae) within and around vessels were detected.
- Further immunohistochemical tests identified the types of fungal infections in the lesions. It verified the simultaneous existence of two different rare fungal infections caused by Aspergillus fumigatus known as aspergillosis, and Absidia corymbifera causing mucormycosis, within the colon and lung lesions. However, only mucormycosis was found in the lesions in the brain and spleen.
Conclusion
- The study concludes by emphasising the importance of immunohistochemistry (study of proteins in tissues) to accurately diagnose mixed fungal infections.
- The concurrent presence of aspergillosis and mucormycosis in a single host, as reported in this pony, is an exceptional finding that contributes to the sparse literature on dual mycotic infections.
Cite This Article
APA
Thirion-Delalande C, Guillot J, Jensen HE, Crespeau FL, Bernex F.
(2005).
Disseminated acute concomitant aspergillosis and mucormycosis in a pony.
J Vet Med A Physiol Pathol Clin Med, 52(3), 121-124.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0442.2005.00700.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Pathology, Ecol Nationale Veterinaire d'Alfort, France.
MeSH Terms
- Acute Disease
- Animals
- Aspergillosis / complications
- Aspergillosis / diagnosis
- Aspergillosis / pathology
- Aspergillosis / veterinary
- Fatal Outcome
- Female
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Mucormycosis / complications
- Mucormycosis / diagnosis
- Mucormycosis / pathology
- Mucormycosis / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 9 times.- Mavilio E, Bottero E. Gastric mucormycosis in a cat. JFMS Open Rep 2025 Jan-Jun;11(1):20551169241301914.
- Semenova V, Rodrigues Hoffmann A, Wolking RM, Choi EA. Facial and systemic mucormycosis caused by Lichtheimia corymbifera in a goat: case report and literature review of fungal infections in goats. J Vet Diagn Invest 2024 May;36(3):463-467.
- Martineau M, Tilmant C, Risco Castillo V, Guillot J, Reyes-Gomez E, Benchekroun G, Freiche V. A case of feline gastrointestinal eosinophilic sclerosing fibroplasia associated with fungal colonisation: endoscopic features, treatment and follow-up. JFMS Open Rep 2023 Jan-Jun;9(1):20551169231165246.
- Hattab J, Vulcano A, D'Arezzo S, Verni F, Tiscar PG, Lanteri G, Gjurcevic E, Tosi U, Marruchella G. Aspergillus Section Fumigati Pneumonia and Oxalate Nephrosis in a Foal. Pathogens 2021 Aug 26;10(9).
- Sarfaty AE, Compton SR, Smith PC, Zeiss CJ. Cutaneous and Pulmonary Mucormycosis in Rag1- and Il2rg-deficient Rats. Comp Med 2020 Aug 1;70(4):390-395.
- Seyedmousavi S, Bosco SMG, de Hoog S, Ebel F, Elad D, Gomes RR, Jacobsen ID, Jensen HE, Martel A, Mignon B, Pasmans F, Piecková E, Rodrigues AM, Singh K, Vicente VA, Wibbelt G, Wiederhold NP, Guillot J. Fungal infections in animals: a patchwork of different situations. Med Mycol 2018 Apr 1;56(suppl_1):165-187.
- Headley SA, de Carvalho PH, Cunha Filho LF, Yamamura AA, Okano W. Equine pulmonary aspergillosis with encephalitic, myocardial, and renal dissemination. Mycopathologia 2014 Feb;177(1-2):129-35.
- Cunha SC, Aguero C, Damico CB, Corgozinho KB, Souza HJ, Pimenta AL, Marassi CD. Duodenal perforation caused by Rhizomucor species in a cat. J Feline Med Surg 2011 Mar;13(3):205-7.
- Wray JD, Sparkes AH, Johnson EM. Infection of the subcutis of the nose in a cat caused by Mucor species: successful treatment using posaconazole. J Feline Med Surg 2008 Oct;10(5):523-7.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
