title: Focal pulmonary granuloma caused by Cladophialophora bantiana in a domestic short haired cat.
abstract: Following a 4-week history of coughing, a 12-year-old cat with a history of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus was diagnosed with a pulmonary granuloma caused by Cladophialophora bantiana. Thoracic radiographs revealed consolidation of the right caudal lung lobe and cytology confirmed the presence of mycotic pneumonia. Results of clinical investigations showed no evidence of extra-pulmonary infection. A thoracotomy and lung lobe resection was performed. Histological examination of the mass revealed black pigmented fungal hyphae and pyogranulomatous inflammation. Cultures inoculated with portions of these tissues yielded a dark walled fungus consistent with an etiologic agent of phaeohyphomycosis and DNA sequencing confirmed the presence of Cladophialophora bantiana. The cat was treated with itraconazole for 4 weeks post-operatively and then with posaconazole for 7 months but was euthanized 13 months after initial diagnosis due to a hepatocellular carcinoma. On post-mortem examination there was no evidence of recurrent fungal infection. This is the first report of localized pulmonary C. bantiana infection in a cat.
authors.affiliation: Valentine Charlton Cat Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, New South Wales. natashia.evans@sydney.edu.au
authors.forename: Natashia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gunew
authors.forename: Rhett
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Barrs
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002415:Cats; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D006099:Granuloma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D017964:Itraconazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009181:Mycoses / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012331:RNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013908:Thoracotomy
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012331:RNA, Fungal; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; D017964:Itraconazole