title: First isolation of Schizophyllum commune in a harbor seal (Phoca vitulina).
abstract: To date, Schizophyllum commune infection has been identified in only humans and dogs. A 7-year-old female harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) died after exhibiting corneal opacity, anorexia, and labored respiration. At necropsy, phthisis of the left eyeball was detected, and multiple nodular lesions were observed in the thoracic and abdominal regions, especially in the lung, heart, and lymph nodes. Histopathologically, numerous hyphae were seen in granulomatous lesions in the eyes, lung, heart, and lymph nodules. An isolate on potato dextrose agar from the eyes, lung, and sputum yielded a rapidly growing white woolly mycelia with basidiocarps (fruiting bodies) at 37°C. A suitable temperature for mycelial growth was obtained at 25°C, although sustained growth also occurred at 37°C. The fungal isolate, KH-JPN15-011, had distinctive features including hyphae bearing spicules and clamp connections, which were consistent with the characteristics of basidiomycete fungus. The sequence of the internal transcribed spacer region of nuclear ribosomal DNA showed 99.67% (617 bp) similarity with those of S. commune Phylogenetic analysis showed that the present isolate is most closely related to the samples from the Old World. This is the first report of a fatal disease caused by S. commune in exotic animals. Previously reported human and canine infections have not included granulomatous endophthalmitis and myocarditis. After considering these and previous findings, there is a possibility that S. commune from the Old World may include numerous highly pathogenic strains.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Animal Health, National Agricultural and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hanafusa
authors.affiliation: Ueno Zoological Gardens, Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-8711, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuzo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.affiliation: Ueno Zoological Gardens, Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-8711, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watabe
authors.affiliation: National Museum of Nature and Science (TNS), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0005, Japan.
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hosaka
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Animal Health, National Agricultural and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsutaka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikezawa
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Animal Health, National Agricultural and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan tshiba@affrc.go.jp.
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shibahara
mesh_terms: D000825:Animal Structures / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000473:pathology; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D025301:Hyphae / Q000254:growth & development; D008828:Microbiological Techniques; D008853:Microscopy; D009181:Mycoses / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D046049:Phoca / Q000382:microbiology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012567:Schizophyllum / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer
keywords: Old World; Schizophyllum commune; basidiomycosis; granulomatous endophthalmitis; harbor seal (Phoca vitulina)