Disseminated Candidiasis in a Young, Previously Healthy, Dog and Review of Literature

BACKGROUND: The reports on disseminated candidiasis in dogs so far describe at least one predisposing factor. This case report, however, highlights candidiasis in a dog without any known predisposition. PATIENT: A 1.5-year-old intact female Hovawart dog was presented with subcutaneous nodules and polyuria/polydipsia. An excisional biopsy revealed a chronic pyogranulomatous and necrotizing inflammation with mycotic structures. The patient became febrile and lethargic, and developed lameness. METHODS: A physical examination, blood tests, urinalysis, thoracic radiographs, abdominal ultrasonography of the abdomen, fine-needle aspiration biopsies, and a culture of a subcutaneous nodule aspirate were obtained. Selected sections of multiple organs were collected for routine histology postmortem. The isolate and a subcutaneous mass were subjected to molecular identification and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) analysis. RESULTS: Clinical, laboratory, and radiological findings were consistent with a granulomatous chronic systemic inflammation. Cytology and histology showed a pyogranulomatous and necrotizing inflammation with myriads of intra- and extra-cellular yeasts and extracellular hyphae. Culture yielded numerous yeast colonies, which appeared Candida albicans-like, but showed a negative serum test and a low identification in API 20 C AUX. Nucleic acid sequences showed homology with the C. albicans-type strain CBS 562. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) resulted in a new type with designation DST121. The identification of the isolates was confirmed by MALDI-TOF-MS analysis. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Future MLST typing and investigation of virulence can provide further evidence whether this MLST-type is associated with clinical cases of disseminated candidiasis without an apparent predisposing condition

Antibodies against Specific Proteins of and Immobilizing Activity against Three Strains of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Can Be Found in Symptomatic but Not in Infected Asymptomatic Dogs

In an area where Lyme disease is endemic in The Netherlands all dogs had positive titers by whole-cell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and appeared to be naturally infected by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. To compare the antibody responses of symptomatic dogs and asymptomatic controls, we performed Western blots and in vitro immobilization assays to study antibody-dependent bactericidal activity. Strains from three different genospecies were employed as the antigen source: B. burgdorferi strain B31, Borrelia garinii strain A87S, and Borrelia afzelii strain pKo. Antibodies against flagellin (p41) and p39 for three strains were found in sera from both symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs and were therefore considered to be markers of exposure. Antibodies against p56 and p30 of strain B31, against p75, p58, p50, OspC, and p<19 of strain A87S, and against p56, p54, p45, OspB, p31, p26, and p<19 of strain pKo were found significantly more frequently in sera from symptomatic dogs younger than 8 years when the first symptoms were observed than in those from age-matched controls (P < 0.01). These antibodies were not found in preclinical sera and appeared during development of disease. Antibodies against OspA of strains B31 and A87S were only seen in acute-phase and convalescent sera from three dogs that recovered from disease. Incubation with 25% normal canine serum did not result in the immobilization of strains B31 and pKo, but partial immobilization of strain A87S (61% ± 24% [standard deviation] at 5 h) occurred. Seven of 15 sera from symptomatic dogs but none of the sera from 11 asymptomatic dogs had antibody-dependent immobilizing activity against one of the strains. Consecutive sera from one of these dogs immobilized two different strains. Antibody-mediated bactericidal serum was not seen before onset of disease, was strongest in the acute phase of disease, and fluctuated during chronic disease. From seven out of eight symptomatic dogs Borrelia DNA was amplified by PCR; in three of them the bactericidal activity was directed against one of the genospecies amplified from that dog; however, four PCR-positive dogs lacked bactericidal activity. In conclusion, dogs with symptomatic canine borreliosis have more-extensive antibody reactivity against Borrelia, as shown by both Western blotting and immobilization assays

Classification of ticks collected from horses in the Netherlands in 2008-2009 and identification of the (zoonotic) agents they contain

This study shows which hard tick species (Ixodidae) were found on domestic horses in the Netherlands in 2008–2009, and what potential pathogens these ticks carried. In the period 2008–2009, 130 ticks were collected, classified and screened for the presence of DNA from specific tick-borne pathogens using PCR-RLB. The numbers of ticks of the various species found were: 68 Ixodes ricinus, 58 Ixodes spp. (57 nymphs and 1 larva), 2 Dermacentor reticulatus and 2 Hyalomma marginatum. DNA from Borrelia valaisiana was detected in 49% of these ticks, B. afzelii in 22%, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto and B. garinii in 3% and 2%, respectively. Rickettsia helvetica was detected in 9% of examined ticks, Anaplasma phagocytophilum in 1.5%, Babesia venatorum in 4%, and B. caballi and Theileria equi in 1.5 and 3%, respectively. There were considerable regional differences suggesting focal distribution of these potential pathogens

Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in ticks and their equine hosts: A prospective clinical and diagnostic study of 47 horses following removal of a feeding tick

A total of 47 horses were tested for infections with the zoonotic pathogens Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum after the removal of one or more attached ticks (n = 120), which were subsequently examined for the presence of these agents. All horses were examined at the time of tick removal and 6-12 weeks later; thirteen horses were examined again at 9-23 months. Serology was performed using an IFAT, an ELISA and a commercially available rapid test. Initially, 45% of horses were positive for B. burgdorferi antibodies and 23% tested positive for A. phagocytophilum; 15% of horses were seropositive for both pathogens. Although seven horses showed evidence of seroconversion to Borrelia, only 1/7 showed possibly associated clinical signs. Borrelia DNA was detected in 43% of the removed ticks, with a predominance of B. valaisiana. By contrast, A. phagocytophilum DNA was detected in only 1 tick