Systemic candidiasis in an apparently immunocompetent dog.
Members of the family Candida spp. are ubiquitous dimorphic fungi that normally inhabit the alimentary, upper respiratory, and genital mucosae of mammals. Cell-mediated immunity appears to be an important limitation to the pathologic spread of these fungi. Prolonged immunosuppression, cytotoxic chemotherapy causing neutropenia, diabetes mellitus, long-term glucocorticoid therapy, and prolonged antimicrobial therapy have resulted in an increased incidence of both localized and disseminated candidiasis. This report describes a systemic Candida spp. infection in a dog with no obvious underlying deficiency in host resistance. Cytopathology, histopathology, transmission electron microscopy, and immunohistochemical staining were used to determine the etiology of the causative agent.
Brown
M Raquel
MR
Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4474, USA.
Thompson
Craig A
CA
Mohamed
Fawzi M
FM
D000818:Animals; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D007121:Immunocompetence; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male