Case report: First isolation of Exophiala dermatitidis from subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis in a cat

Phaeohyphomycosis, which is caused by the opportunistic black yeast-like fungus Exophiala dermatitidis, has been reported in humans and dogs. However, no previous studies describing E. dermatitidis infections in cats have been published. Herein, we report a case of subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by E. dermatitidis. A 12-year-old, castrated male Japanese domestic short-haired cat presented with a solitary subcutaneous abscess on the left side of the neck, where an esophageal tube for force-feeding had been placed previously. The cat was diagnosed with hepatitis and was treated with prednisolone. The subcutaneous abscess was incised using a scalpel blade and the pus was excreted. The cytology of the pus revealed hyphae with neutrophil and macrophage infiltration. Although the cat was treated with oral itraconazole or an infusion of topical ketoconazole cream applied to the lesion, it died. The fungal culture of the pus specimen developed dark-green, waxy, smooth, yeast-like colonies. Sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer 1–4 regions of the ribosomal DNA of the pus specimen showed 100% identity with that of the standard strains of E. dermatitidis. Based on these results, the cat was diagnosed with subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by E. dermatitidis. The antifungal susceptibility test revealed that the fungus showed low or moderate susceptibility to the antifungal drugs examined, except for amphotericin B, which exhibited high in vitro antifungal activity. This is the first case report to provide definitive evidence of E. dermatitidis infection in cats and antifungal susceptibility test results against clinically isolated E. dermatitidis

Acute renal failure in an adult cat following oral administration of fosfomycin

Case summary A spayed female mixed breed cat of unknown age (presumably more than 9 years old), weighing 2.9 kg, was presented with a 4 day history of lethargy, anorexia and vomiting following oral administration of calcium fosfomycin (20 mg/kg q12h). A serum biochemical analysis revealed a dramatic increase in the levels of blood urea nitrogen (>140 mg/dl) and creatinine (15.3 mg/dl), and hypercalcaemia (13.1 mg/dl), hyperphosphataemia (13.3 mg/dl) and hyperkalaemia (6.1 mmol/l). The cat was hospitalised and treated with infusion therapy. However, the renal function and clinical signs did not improve with any treatment. The cat was euthanased upon the owner’s request. Histopathological analysis of the kidneys revealed acute tubular necrosis in the cortex. Relevance and novel information The present case report provides, for the first time, clinical and histopathological evidence for acute renal failure induced by oral administration of fosfomycin in an adult cat. It is highly advisable that fosfomycin should not be used in either young or adult cats

Time-of-Day-Dependent Variations of Scratching Behavior and Transepidermal Water Loss in Mice that Developed Atopic Dermatitis

ABSTRACT. Scratching and skin barrier dysfunctions are pivotal features and therapeutic targets of atopic dermatitis (AD); however, time-of-day-dependent variations of these characteristics remain unclear. NC/Tnd mice have been shown to exhibit severe scratching behavior and skin barrier disruption together with the development of spontaneous atopic dermatitis when they are raised under air-uncontrolled environ-ment. In the present study, time-of-day-dependent variations of scratching behavior and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were evaluated in NC/Tnd mice that developed moderate to severe AD. Analysis of the mice for 24 hr revealed that scratching frequency and duration were increased from in the afternoon to the nocturnal period when locomotor activity was low, and scratching behavior was decreased in the morning. The highest scratching frequency and duration were 3.8- and 4.1-fold increases in the lowest scratching frequency and duration, respectively. In addition, TEWL on the dorsal skin lesion was decreased in the diurnal period, while that was increased in the nocturnal period. The highest TEWL was a 1.3-fold increase in the lowest TEWL. Significant daily variations were detected in scratching frequency and duration and TEWL. These results indicate that NC/Tnd mice are an appropriate mouse model to investigate time-of-day-dependent variations of scratching behavior and skin barrier dysfunctions associated with AD. KEY WORDS: animal model, atopic dermatitis, itch, time-of-day-dependent variations, transepidermal water loss doi: 10.1292/jvms.14-0173; J. Vet. Med. Sci. 76(11): 1501–1504, 2014 Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic and relapsing inflam-matory skin disorder that affects approximately 10–20 % o

Oral faecal microbiota transplantation for the treatment of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea in a dog: a case report

Abstract Background Successful clinical outcomes of faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection have been reported in humans and a marmoset. However, it has been unclear whether oral FMT was effective for the treatment of C. difficile-associated diarrhoea in dogs. Case presentation An 8-month-old, intact male French bulldog was presented with a 4-month history of intermittent large bowel diarrhoea. Physical and clinical examinations did not identify any specific causes for diarrhoea. Real-time PCR analysis and immunochromatography detected C. difficile antigen and toxin A&B genes and proteins in a faecal sample. Based on these findings, diarrhoea in the dog was considered to be induced by C. difficile-associated colitis. The dog was treated with oral FMT, in which a faecal solution obtained from a healthy beagle was orally administered to the subject. Stool consistency and frequency and faecal blood and mucus became normal 2–3 days after oral FMT, and real-time PCR analysis and immunochromatography was negative for C. difficile antigen and toxin A&B genes and proteins. No adverse events were observed. Conclusion The present case report demonstrated that oral FMT was an effective treatment for C. difficile-associated diarrhoea in a dog. The findings in this report provide a rationale to evaluate clinical efficacy of oral FMT for other gastrointestinal diseases in dogs

Long-term management of a cat with nasopharyngeal lymphoma by chlorambucil

Background: Lymphoma in the nasal cavity is the most common tumor of cats' upper respiratory tract. However, the effect of single-agent chlorambucil on nasal or nasopharyngeal lymphoma has not been evaluated in cats. Case Description: An 8-year-old, castrated male Scottish Fold weighing 3.5 kg presented with an 8-month history of nasal discharge, sneezing, and mild epistaxis. CT and rhinoscopy revealed nasal discharge and slight swelling of the nasopharyngeal mucosa, but no masses and local invasions were detected. Histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses of the nasopharyngeal mucosa demonstrated B-cell lymphoma in the cat. The treatment with chlorambucil led to long-term management of the cat without any side effects. No recurrences of clinical signs have been observed for 754 days. Conclusion: The present case report suggests that chlorambucil can be a therapeutic option for feline localized nasopharyngeal B-cell lymphoma without masses and local invasions. &nbsp