Fungal granuloma in a horse.

The research article discusses the occurrence of deep fungal dermatoses in horses in Australia, attributing them mainly to three types of fungi: Hyphomyces destruens, Entomephthora coronata, and Basidobolus haptosporus.

The Types of Fungi Involved

• Hyphomyces destruens (H. destruens) is the most prevalent of the infectious agents reported, with the research noting that it is responsible for 76.7% of the reported cases. This fungal disease mainly affects the horse’s legs, ventral chest, and abdomen.
• Basidobolus haptosporus (B. haptosporus) is the second most prevalent of the fungi, responsible for 18% of the cases. The lateral trunk and face of the horses are usually affected with this fungal infection.
• The last and the least prevalent is Entomephthora coronata (E. coronata), responsible for 5.3% of cases. The researchers have reported cases of this fungal infection mainly in external nares of horses.

The Effect of Climate and Season

A significant observation made in the study is the influence of regional climate and season on the occurrence of these infections. The research found increase in such cases mainly in tropical or semi-tropical regions of Australia. Moreover, certain fungal infections are more frequent in specific seasons. For instance, H. destruens infections are seen more commonly during summer wet seasons.

Rarity of Lymph Node Metastases

The research also points out that instances of metastases to regional lymph nodes due to these fungal dermatoses are comparatively rare.