title: Variations in the morphology of Rhizomucor pusillus in granulomatous lesions of a Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus).
abstract: This report presents a new case of mucormycosis encountered in penguin characterized by morphological variation of hyphae and presence of sporangia with numerous sporangiospores. A 4.5-year-old Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) died after exhibiting anorexia, poor nutritional condition and dyspnea. Multiple nodular lesions were observed in the thoracic and abdominal regions. Histopathologically, hyphae of various sizes were seen in the lungs, air sac and nodular lesions. Myriad sporangiospores and several sporangia were observed in/around the bronchi or parabronchi. The very narrow and short hyphae in the nodules were not consistent with the characteristics of Mucorales. However, for most hyphae, including those in the nodules, sporangiospores and sporangia, immunohistochemistry revealed Mucorales-positive reactions. In addition, these fungi were identified as Rhizomucor pusillus by gene analysis.
authors.affiliation: Nagasaki Prefecture Central Livestock Hygiene Service Center, Kaizumachi, Isahaya, Nagasaki 854-0063, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Suzuta
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Urakawa
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kusuda
authors.forename: Shogo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Yasuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hanafusa
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haritani
mesh_terms: D000400:Air Sacs / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D006099:Granuloma / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009091:Mucormycosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D020103:Rhizomucor; D046429:Spheniscidae / Q000382:microbiology*