title: The clinical significance of Cyniclomyces guttulatus in dogs with chronic diarrhoea, a survey and a prospective treatment study.
abstract: This study surveyed the prevalence of massive numbers of Cyniclomyces guttulatus in faecal samples from healthy dogs (18%) and dogs with chronic diarrhoea (14%) suggesting that this yeast has no clinical significance. Subsequently, a total of 57 referred dogs with chronic diarrhoea were selected because they excreted massive numbers of C. guttulatus and their initial diagnostic work-up yielded no other direct clues explaining their diarrhoea. Treatment with nystatin did not result in any clinical response in 36 out of these 57 dogs (63%), although they no longer shed the yeast. However, a response was noted in the remaining 21 (37%) dogs: 13 were 'responders', in that their diarrhoea subsided for more than two weeks and the faeces were cleared of the yeast. However, three of these dogs relapsed repeatedly, with signs of diarrhoea and massive shedding of the yeast. The other eight dogs were 'incomplete responders', whereby faecal quality initially normalised, but diarrhoea relapsed within two weeks, whilst still not shedding the yeast. In these cases, further diagnostic work up revealed other co-causes of diarrhoea. It was concluded that there was no direct evidence that C. guttulatus is a primary pathogen. However, the results of the prospective treatment study suggest that a possible role in a minority of cases, perhaps as an opportunist, cannot be ruled out.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 108, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: p.j.j.mandigers@uu.nl.
authors.forename: Paul J J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Mandigers
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Clinical Infectiology Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mirjam B H M
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Duijvestijn
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nynke
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ankringa
authors.affiliation: Valuepath, Laboratory Veterinary Pathology, PO BOX 144, 6300 AC Valkenburg a/d Geul, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sofie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Clinical Infectiology Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van Essen
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Clinical Infectiology Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anky H W
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Schoormans
authors.affiliation: Department of Obesity and Endocrinology, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, NESTON Wirral, CH64 7TE, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Alexander J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: German
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Clinical Infectiology Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Dirk J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Houwers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002353:Carrier State; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D009761:Nystatin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D004718:Saccharomycetales / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D009761:Nystatin
keywords: Cyniclomyces guttulatus; Diarrhoea; Dogs; Yeast