Swinney Gr

Peripheral vestibular disease associated with cryptococcosis in three cats.

Peripheral vestibular disease referable to otitis media/interna was the main reason for presentation in three cats with cryptococcosis. In two cats, Cryptococcus neoformans var neoformans was isolated from the tympanic bulla. In the remaining cat, otitis media/interna was considered to be secondary to occlusion of the auditory tube by a nasopharyngeal granuloma associated with a C neoformans var gattii infection. This report emphasises the importance of maintaining an index of suspicion for a fungal aetiology in cats with signs of otitis media/interna, particularly in countries with a high prevalence of cryptococcosis. The presence of C neoformans may be overlooked with potentially fatal consequences where only standard methods for bacterial isolation are used to examine samples obtained from the middle ear.

Sequential opportunistic infections in two German Shepherd dogs.

Two German Shepherd dogs with sequential opportunistic infections are described. The first was a 2-year-old male with cryptococcal rhinitis that spread to involve the optic nerves and brain. It was successfully treated with combination therapy utilising amphotericin B administered for 2 years, but the dog developed a disseminated Aspergillus deflectus infection 5 years later and was euthanased. The second case was a 4-year-old male that presented for a severe, deep-seated infection of the right antebrachium, with gradual extension to contiguous tissues. Neosartorya fischeri (anamorph; Aspergillus fischerianus) was isolated in pure culture and detected in histological sections. The infection was refractory to itraconazole, but resolved after amputation of the affected limb. Five months later, the dog developed a localised cutaneous lesion on the proximal pelvic limb, from which Pythium insidiosum was isolated and then visualised in tissue sections, together with a structure thought to be grass seed. This lesion was treated by wide surgical resection, although it was reported that the dog died of disseminated disease some months later. These cases provide further circumstantial evidence that young adult German Shepherd dogs have a predilection to developing invasive infections with fungi and other saprophytic pathogens.