Brainstem phaeohyphomycosis due to Curvularia lunata (Cochliobolus lunatus) in a cat

A 13-year-old female neutered domestic short-hair cat was presented with chronic progressive vestibular ataxia, lethargy and anorexia. Clinical examination revealed bilateral mucopurulent nasal discharge. Neurological examination revealed obtundation, a right head tilt, ambulatory tetraparesis, generalised vestibular ataxia, decreased postural reactions in all limbs, right Horner's syndrome, spontaneous conjugate jerk rotatory nystagmus and right positional ventral strabismus. Neuroanatomical localisation was observed in the right central vestibular system. Computed tomography revealed a solitary ill-defined contrast-enhancing mass lesion at the level of the right cerebellopontine angle. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis revealed mild mononuclear pleocytosis and fungal elements. CSF culture was positive for Curvularia spp. Further tests for underlying diseases were all negative. The cat was treated with antibiotic and antifungal treatment, but it deteriorated rapidly and was euthanased. Necropsy of the brainstem mass lesion revealed pyogranulomatous inflammation. Panfungal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and subsequent sequencing identified Curvularia lunata in the formalin fixed brain tissue. This is the first report of brainstem phaeohyphomycosis by Curvularia lunata (Pleosporales) in a cat. In addition, this is the first report among animal and humans where fungal elements of Curvularia lunata were found in the CSF cytology. Opportunistic fungal pathogens should be always considered within the differential diagnoses list in cats with neurological signs and advanced imaging findings compatible with solitary mass lesions in the brain. In feline patients with pyogranulomatous meningoencephalitis and a suspicion of a fungal aetiology, panfungal PCR for the ITS region and sequencing should be performed regardless of the absence of fungal elements in histopathology

Compound maxillary odontoma in a young German shepherd dog

A three-month-old, male German shepherd dog was admitted with a facial Mass of two months' duration. Clinical examination showed a round mass, 3 cm in diameter, in the left infraorbital area. The upper last premolar deciduous tooth was not erupted. No other abnormalities were detected. Radiological examination revealed a posterior maxillary mass of mixed opacity. The mass was surgically excised. Histopathological examination demonstrated a connective tissue stroma containing foci of irregular enamel and dentine, resembling rudimentary teeth (denticles), surrounded by new bone formation. Morphology and structure of the denticles were also confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. A compound odontoma was diagnosed. One year after surgery, the dog was free of clinical signs

Paraneoplastic exfoliative erythroderma in a cat with thymoma

A 14-year-old domestic shorthair cat was admitted with a 2-month history of excessive body weight loss and generalized exfoliative dermatitis with erythroderma. Radiographic and ultrasonographic examination revealed a cranioventral cavitary mass within the anterior mediastinum. An ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology from the mass revealed numerous small mature lymphocytes intermingled with much fewer inflammatory mast cells. These findings, along with a cell-poor interface and mixed cell dermatitis demonstrated on skin histopathology, made the diagnosis of paraneoplastic exfoliative dermatitis straightforward. This uncommon case illustrates the relative value of keratosebborheic skin disease as a useful indicator of an internal malignancy in the cat