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Liatis T, Theochari F, Kalogianni L, Soubasis N, Oikonomidis IL, Velegraki A, Psalla D, Triantafyllou E, Patsikas M, Polizopoulou Z. Brainstem phaeohyphomycosis due to Curvularia lunata (Cochliobolus lunatus) in a cat. Aust Vet J 2021; 99:273-278. [PMID: 33830496 DOI: 10.1111/avj.13067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A 13-year-old female neutered domestic short-hair cat was presented with chronic progressive vestibular ataxia, lethargy and anorexia. Clinical examination revealed bilateral mucopurulent nasal discharge. Neurological examination revealed obtundation, a right head tilt, ambulatory tetraparesis, generalised vestibular ataxia, decreased postural reactions in all limbs, right Horner's syndrome, spontaneous conjugate jerk rotatory nystagmus and right positional ventral strabismus. Neuroanatomical localisation was observed in the right central vestibular system. Computed tomography revealed a solitary ill-defined contrast-enhancing mass lesion at the level of the right cerebellopontine angle. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis revealed mild mononuclear pleocytosis and fungal elements. CSF culture was positive for Curvularia spp. Further tests for underlying diseases were all negative. The cat was treated with antibiotic and antifungal treatment, but it deteriorated rapidly and was euthanased. Necropsy of the brainstem mass lesion revealed pyogranulomatous inflammation. Panfungal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and subsequent sequencing identified Curvularia lunata in the formalin fixed brain tissue. This is the first report of brainstem phaeohyphomycosis by Curvularia lunata (Pleosporales) in a cat. In addition, this is the first report among animal and humans where fungal elements of Curvularia lunata were found in the CSF cytology. Opportunistic fungal pathogens should be always considered within the differential diagnoses list in cats with neurological signs and advanced imaging findings compatible with solitary mass lesions in the brain. In feline patients with pyogranulomatous meningoencephalitis and a suspicion of a fungal aetiology, panfungal PCR for the ITS region and sequencing should be performed regardless of the absence of fungal elements in histopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Liatis
- Hospital for Small Animals, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK.,Companion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 546 27, Greece
| | - F Theochari
- Companion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 546 27, Greece
| | - L Kalogianni
- Companion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 546 27, Greece
| | - N Soubasis
- Companion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 546 27, Greece
| | - I L Oikonomidis
- Easter Bush Pathology, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK.,Diagnostic Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 546 27, Greece
| | - A Velegraki
- Mycology Research Laboratory and UOA/HCPF Culture Collection, Microbiology Department, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, 115 27, Greece.,Mycology Laboratory, Biomedicine S.A., Athens, 115 25, Greece
| | - D Psalla
- Pathology Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 546 27, Greece
| | - E Triantafyllou
- Vet Analyses - Veterinary Diagnostic Lab S.A., Larissa, 412 22, Greece
| | - M Patsikas
- Diagnostic Imaging Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 546 27, Greece
| | - Z Polizopoulou
- Diagnostic Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 546 27, Greece
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