title: Systemic Trichosporon loubieri infection in a cat.
abstract: Our study describes a case of systemic Trichosporon loubieri infection in a cat with acute dyspnea, anorexia, and aggressiveness. Physical examination revealed multiple ulcerative cutaneous lesions on the abdomen, neck, and thorax. Thoracic radiographs and ultrasound showed multiple mediastinal nodules and marked pleural effusion, respectively. A cutaneous biopsy from the ulcerated wounds revealed necrogranulomatous dermatitis and panniculitis with numerous intralesional fungal hyphae. Fungal culture on fresh swab samples from the cutaneous lesions yielded growth of a fungal organism that was further identified as Trichosporon loubieri by PCR and DNA sequencing. The cat was subsequently euthanized and submitted to autopsy. Gross pathology changes consisted of multifocal to coalescing white nodules ranging from 5 to 10 mm in diameter that expanded the mediastinal fat, intrathoracic lymph nodes, lungs, and costal pleura. These lesions consisted of areas of necrogranulomatous inflammation with numerous intralesional fungal hyphae morphologically similar to those observed in the cutaneous biopsy sample. Gross and histologic changes were consistent with a systemic fungal infection, and the etiologic diagnosis was supported by fungal culture. Fungal identity was confirmed by DNA sequencing of D1-D2 and TS1 regions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA (Rissi)LaGrange Veterinary Hospital, LaGrange, GA (Kirby)Department of Infectious Diseases and Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA (Sanchez) rissi@uga.edu.
authors.forename: Daniel R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Rissi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA (Rissi)LaGrange Veterinary Hospital, LaGrange, GA (Kirby)Department of Infectious Diseases and Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA (Sanchez).
authors.forename: Kerry D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Kirby
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA (Rissi)LaGrange Veterinary Hospital, LaGrange, GA (Kirby)Department of Infectious Diseases and Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA (Sanchez).
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sanchez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002415:Cats; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D037901:Euthanasia, Animal; D014250:Trichosporon / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D060586:Trichosporonosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Cats; Trichosporon loubieri; dermatitis; panniculitis; systemic infection