Disseminated pythiosis in three horses.
Abstract: Three cases of equine subcutaneous pythiosis with dissemination to the internal organs were investigated. The subcutaneous lesions were observed on the mammary gland, nostrils and limbs of the infected horses. Histopathological analysis of the infected tissues revealed a strong eosinophilic reaction, with macrophages, mast cells and giant cells. Sparsely septated hyphal filaments of 4-6 microm diameter were identified in the center of the eosinophilic areas. Specific fluorescent antibody against Pythium insidiosum confirmed the hyphae in the infected tissues in three examined horses. In one of the three cases, the DNA sequences amplified from the infected subcutaneous tissues and internal organs, revealed that P. insidiosum's 18S SSU rDNA amplicons shared 100% identity with those sequences deposit in GenBank. This is the first report confirming by immunochemical and genetic techniques that P. insidiosum can disseminated from superficial to deep structures.
Publication Date: 2003-10-16 PubMed ID: 14559176DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2003.07.005Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The article presents a study on three cases of equine pythiosis – a fungal infection in horses that impacts both the skin and internal organs.
Objective of the Study
The study aimed to investigate three cases of equine pythiosis where the infection had disseminated, or spread, from the skin to the internal organs. It aimed to validate this dissemination using immunochemical and genetic techniques.
Study Findings
- The horses had subcutaneous, or beneath the skin, pythiosis lesions on their mammary gland, nostrils, and limbs.
- Analysis of these infected tissues displayed a robust eosinophilic response, a type of white blood cell that plays a crucial role in the body’s fight against certain infections. Other cells involved in immune reaction like macrophages, mast cells, and giant cells were also found.
- Hyphal filaments of the causative organism, Pythium insidiosum, were detected in the center of these eosinophilic areas. These filaments were identified as being slightly divided and measured 4-6 micrometers in diameter.
- These findings were verified using a particular fluorescent antibody that targets P. insidiosum. The presence of this antibody confirmed the infection in all three studied horses.
Significant Conclusions
- In one of the three cases, genetic techniques were applied whereby DNA sequences from the infected tissues and internal organs were amplified and studied. It was observed that 18S SSU rDNA amplicons of P. insidiosum shared a 100% identity with sequences available in GenBank, a genetic sequence database.
- This is the first study that confirms P. insidiosum can spread from superficial skin structures to deeper, internal organs. This was confirmed both immunologically (using the fluorescent antibody) and genotypically (using DNA sequences).
Cite This Article
APA
Reis JL, de Carvalho EC, Nogueira RH, Lemos LS, Mendoza L.
(2003).
Disseminated pythiosis in three horses.
Vet Microbiol, 96(3), 289-295.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2003.07.005 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Veterinary Pathology Section, Federal University of Lavras, Minas Gerais, MG, Brazil.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- DNA / chemistry
- DNA / genetics
- Dermatomycoses / microbiology
- Dermatomycoses / pathology
- Fatal Outcome
- Female
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Infections / microbiology
- Infections / pathology
- Mammary Glands, Animal / microbiology
- Mammary Glands, Animal / pathology
- Nasal Cavity / microbiology
- Nasal Cavity / pathology
- Pythium / genetics
- Pythium / isolation & purification
- RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / chemistry
- RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / genetics
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Sridapan T, Krajaejun T. Nucleic Acid-Based Detection of Pythium insidiosum: A Systematic Review. J Fungi (Basel) 2022 Dec 23;9(1).
- Elshafie NO, Hanlon J, Malkawi M, Sayedahmed EE, Guptill LF, Jones-Hall YL, Santos AP. Nested PCR Detection of Pythium sp. from Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded Canine Tissue Sections. Vet Sci 2022 Aug 19;9(8).
- Yolanda H, Krajaejun T. Global Distribution and Clinical Features of Pythiosis in Humans and Animals. J Fungi (Basel) 2022 Feb 11;8(2).
- Yolanda H, Krajaejun T. History and Perspective of Immunotherapy for Pythiosis. Vaccines (Basel) 2021 Sep 26;9(10).
- Chechi JL, Rotchanapreeda T, da Paz GS, Prado AC, Oliveira AL, Vieira JCS, Buzalaf MAR, Rodrigues AM, Santos LDD, Krajaejun T, Bosco SMG. Prospecting Biomarkers for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches in Pythiosis. J Fungi (Basel) 2021 May 28;7(6).
- do Carmo PMS, Uzal FA, Riet-Correa F. Diseases caused by Pythium insidiosum in sheep and goats: a review. J Vet Diagn Invest 2021 Jan;33(1):20-24.
- Yolanda H, Krajaejun T. Review of methods and antimicrobial agents for susceptibility testing against Pythium insidiosum. Heliyon 2020 Apr;6(4):e03737.
- Bosco Sde M, Bagagli E, Araújo JP Jr, Candeias JM, de Franco MF, Alencar Marques ME, Mendoza L, de Camargo RP, Alencar Marques S. Human pythiosis, Brazil. Emerg Infect Dis 2005 May;11(5):715-8.
- Schurko AM, Mendoza L, de Cock AW, Bedard JE, Klassen GR. Development of a species-specific probe for Pythium insidiosum and the diagnosis of pythiosis. J Clin Microbiol 2004 Jun;42(6):2411-8.
- Vasconcelos AB, França DA, Prado ACD, Yamauchi DH, Silva ACAD, Barros IO, Valença SRFA, Lucheis SB, Bosco SMG. Molecular Detection of Pythium insidiosum in Cutaneous Lesions of Horses from Northeastern Brazil. Animals (Basel) 2025 Sep 30;15(19).
- Pereira DIB, Botton SA, Ianiski LB, Braga CQ, Maciel AF, Melo LG, Zambrano CG, Bruhn FRP, Santurio JM. Equidae pythiosis in Brazil and the world: a systematic review of the last 63 years (1960-2023). Braz J Microbiol 2024 Sep;55(3):2969-2981.
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