scholarly journals Canine sporotrichosis: report of 15 advanced cases

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 477-481 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariana B. Mascarenhas ◽  
Natália L. Lopes ◽  
Thiago G. Pinto ◽  
Thiago S. Costa ◽  
André P. Peixoto ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT: Sporotrichosis is a chronic, granulomatous and usually lymphocutaneous infection of animals and humans, caused by a dimorphic fungus, Sporothrix schenckii complex. The disease in dogs is considered rare, however, in the last years a crescent registration of cases was observed in Brazil, especially in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Fifteen dogs with ulcerated cutaneous lesions were seen at the Dermatology Service in the Small Animal’s Hospital at Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, between January 2014 and October 2015. Most lesions were located on the head, mainly the nose. Lesions were even seen on the chest, disseminated on the body and on the limbs. Three dogs (20%) exhibited the cutaneous-lymphatic form, with lesions initially on the distal aspect of one leg and ascending via lymphatics up the leg to the trunk and head. It was not ruled out the disseminated form in at least 3 dogs (20%). They had consistent signs of generalized or disseminated disease exhibiting respiratory symptoms (nasal discharge, sneezing, stertorous breathing), anorexia and weight loss. Draining tracts and cellulitis were very common. Some had large areas of skin necrosis with exposure of muscle and bone. Definitive diagnosis was obtained by cytological examination of exudates, histological examination, and/or isolation of S. schenckii complex by fungal culture. Because of the severity of the lesions that mimic other disorders like neoplasms or autoimmune skin diseases, and due to the difficulties of getting an accurate diagnosis, this study describes 15 advanced cases of canine sporotrichosis.

BMC Urology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew A. Anderson ◽  
Tracey Ying ◽  
Kate Wyburn ◽  
Peter M. Ferguson ◽  
Madeleine C. Strach ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Kaposi’s sarcoma is an uncommon complication in renal transplant patients, and typically presents with cutaneous lesions on the lower extremities. Penile involvement has been reported only rarely. Management of cutaneous-limited disease is primarily reduction of immunosuppression and conversion to an mTOR-inhibitor, whereas the treatment of disseminated disease in transplant patients is more variable. Case presentation A 75-year-old male, originally from Somalia, received a deceased-donor kidney transplant for diabetic and hypertensive nephropathy. Seven months post-transplant he presented with lower limb lesions, oedema and bilateral deep vein thromboses. He then developed a fast-growing painful lesion on his penile shaft. A biopsy of this lesion confirmed KS, and a PET scan demonstrated disseminated disease in the lower extremities, penis and thoracic lymph nodes. His tacrolimus was converted to sirolimus, and his other immunosuppression was reduced. He was treated with single agent paclitaxel chemotherapy in view of his rapidly progressing, widespread disease. The penile lesion completely resolved, and the lower extremity lesions regressed significantly. His kidney allograft function remained stable throughout treatment. Conclusion This case illustrates a rare presentation of an uncommon post-transplant complication and highlights the need for a high index of suspicion of KS in transplant patients presenting with atypical cutaneous lesions. It serves to demonstrate that the use of single agent paclitaxel chemotherapy, switch to an mTORi and reduction in immunosuppression where possible produces excellent short-term outcomes, adding to the body of evidence for this management strategy in disseminated Kaposi’s sarcoma.


2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Francina Dos Santos Silva ◽  
Simone Carvalho dos Santos Cunha ◽  
Andrea Regina de Souza Baptista ◽  
Vivian Dos Santos Baptista ◽  
Kássia Valéria Gomes Coelho da Silva ◽  
...  

Background: Sporotrichosis is a zoonosis caused by fungi of the Sporothrix schenckii complex. Cats have important zoonotic potential due to the high parasite load found in the cutaneous lesions. Refractory cases to antifungal therapy are increasing, becoming a public health problem. Miltefosine is a drug with high in vitro activity against Sporothrix brasiliensis. However, this efficacy has not been confirmed in vivo yet and administration has not been studied in the feline species. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of miltefosine administration in cats with resistant sporotrichosis.Materials, Methods & Results: Ten cats with refractory sporotrichosis were included in this study. Inclusion criteria were previous diagnosis for sporotrichosis associated with therapy with oral antifungals (itraconazole and/or potassium iodide) for more than one year, followed by one of these conditions: incomplete clinical remission, worsening of disease during treatment or recurrence after conventional treatment. Cats underwent clinical and dermatological examinations. Data on lifestyle and previous treatments were provided by the owners. Fungal culture and histochemical techniques were performed in all cats before miltefosine treatment. Blood samples were collected before and during the study for laboratory tests, such as blood count, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase, as well as serology for Feline Immunodeficiency (FIV) and Feline Leukemia (FeLV). Miltefosine was prescribed at a dosage of 2 mg/kg orally every 24 h. The animals were monitored by phone during the whole process and reassessed on days 0, 15, 30 and 45 of the treatment. Out of 10 cats, lesions were present on the nose in nine, ears in four, periocular areas in one and limbs in four. One cat received treatment for 45 days, six for 30 days, one for 21 days, one for 15 days and one for 3 days. One cat showed no response to the treatment and nine showed disease progression. Hyporexia and weight loss were the most frequent clinical signs related to miltefosine treatment, followed by sialorrhea, vomiting and diarrhea. Few adverse effects on hematology and biochemistry (mainly renal and hepatic parameters) were observed during the study. Hematocrit decrease was observed in four animals. However, only one cat had hematocrit decrease below normal values (anemia), which was already present before miltefosine administration. Other cats had a decrease of five points. Three cats showed elevation in leucometria and four in plasma protein. In relation to renal and hepatic biochemistry, one animal showed a BUN increase and another one showed a transient increase in ALT. Two animals started the treatment with increased ALT but had no problems during the study and values decreased even during the miltefosine administration.Discussion: Although two cats showed sialorrhea, most owners did not report difficulty in administering the drug orally, representing an advantage of this medication. Weight loss, secondary to gastrointestinal changes, was the most clinically relevant alteration. The most frequent hematological alteration was hematocrit decrease and only the animal that started the study with 20% hematocrit ended the study with anemia. Renal and hepatic parameters were not significant in the cats of this study. Miltefosine did not lead to sporotrichosis remission in this small population of cats, which reveals that, despite its in vitro efficacy against Sporothrix spp., the drug is not effective in vivo in the feline species. Further studies are needed to investigate the efficacy of this drug in a larger number of cats, and possible reasons for its in vivo ineffectiveness.


1986 ◽  
Vol 164 (6) ◽  
pp. 2125-2130 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Sison-Fonacier ◽  
J C Bystryn

The possibility that the distribution of skin lesions in some cutaneous diseases is due to variations in the antigenic properties of skin was investigated by mapping the expression of the skin-specific pemphigus vulgaris and bullous pemphigoid antigens in different regions of the body. The expression of both antigens was relatively stable within the same region, but varied between regions in a pattern that was distinct for each antigen. For each antigen there was a correlation between regions of high expression and location of skin lesions in autoimmune diseases involving the antigen. The results indicate that there are marked regional differences in the antigenic properties of skin and suggest this may influence the distribution of cutaneous lesions in some skin diseases.


2018 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 4
Author(s):  
Nayara Benites Moreira ◽  
Arleana Do Bom Parto Ferreira de Almeida ◽  
Andressa Zelenski de Lara Pinto ◽  
Emmanuelle Rosa Mutzemberg ◽  
Isabela De Godoy ◽  
...  

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a zoonotic disease caused by Leishmania chagasi (syn. L. infantum). The dog is the main reservoir for this infectious agent in the urban environment. Among the various systemic signs of viscerotropic infection by L. chagasi, cutaneous lesions, including exfoliative dermatitis, cutaneous ulcers and nodules, alopecia, papular or pustular dermatitis, and onychogryphosis, are the most common in dogs. This study aimed to describe the major cutaneous lesions, evaluate the skin parasite L. chagasi by PCR, and investigate the main dermatoses associated with this zoonosis.Materials, Methods & Results: This study evaluated 50 seropositive dogs of various breeds and sizes for VL by ELISA and IFA and for the dermatological signs associated with VL. Moreover, molecular analysis of skin fragments was performed with primers 150 and 152 for the genus Leishmania, and the species was verified as L. chagasi with RV1 and RV2 primers. Deep skin scraping for mites and fungal culture analysis were performed in all dogs. Of the 50 dogs, 15 (30%) were free of systemic or cutaneous signs; however, changes in skin and annexes were observed in 35 (70%) dogs. Thirty-one dogs (62%) presented infection with dermatophytes, 26 (83.9%) with Microsporum sp., and 5 (16.1%) with Trichophyton sp.; only one dog showed parasitism by Sarcoptes scabiei. A statistically significant association was observed between skin alterations and dermatological infection by dermatophytes (P = 0.61). Of the 29 dogs from which skin fragments were used to perform PCR with specific primers, 19 (65.5%) showed L. chagasi DNA amplification.Discussion: Symptomatic dogs are more common than asymptomatic ones; therefore, sampling was set up in the hospital for reagents dogs with clinical suspicion of this zoonosis. Dermatological signs accounted for 70% of the clinical symptoms presented by the dogs, which were evaluated as described by other authors. Exfoliative dermatitis was the most common skin lesion followed by onychogryphosis and alopecia. This is because of granulomatous or pyogranulomatous inflammation, inflammation in different structures of the skin, or deposition of immune complexes. Only few studies have described the co-existence of VL and dermatophytosis in dogs. We found dermatophyte fungal infection in more than half of the dogs (70%), most frequently Microsporum sp. followed by infection with Trichophyton sp. Regarding the clinical signs, no statistical difference was observed between the dogs with and without dermatophyte infection, which reinforces the lack of specificity in clinical signs that may hinder the diagnosis of both diseases when present as co-morbidities or in isolation. The high frequency of dermatophytosis in dogs with VL may result from a compromised immune system. L. chagasi DNA detected in 65.5% of samples tested by conventional PCR can be related to the host’s immune response, as well as to the uneven distribution of the parasite in different tissues. These results support the high frequency of skin changes and concomitant skin diseases like ringworm observed in dogs with LV, highlighting the importance of researching other differential diagnoses in endemic areas.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 94-97
Author(s):  
Mallika Sengupta ◽  
Anita Mitra Nandi ◽  
Himansu Roy ◽  
Soma Sarkar ◽  
Manideepa Sengupta

Introduction: Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection caused by the agent Histoplasma capsulatum,a dimorphic fungus. The spectrum of illness ranges from subclinical infection to progressive disseminated disease. The major bulk of histoplasma infections are asymptomatic or pulmonary histoplasmosis. In immune compromised patients it can cause disseminated infections involving different organs of the body. In immune competent individuals it may cause isolated adrenal histoplasmosis. Material and methods: A retrospective study was done to look for mucocutaneous histoplasmosis. The excised tissue samples were cultured and only culture confirmed cases were included in the study. Result: Here, we present five cases of primary mucocutaneous histoplasmosis in immune competent individuals in a tertiary care centre in India. These patients had no other co-morbidities and had only isolated lesions in oral cavity or penis.The tissue on excision was cultured and showed growth of Histoplasma capsulatum. All the patients improved with treatment. There are limited cases of mucocutaneous ulcerated lesions caused by Histoplasma capsulatum in immune competent people in published literature. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the necessity of a vigilant look out and clinical suspicion of fungal causes like histoplasma in chronic non healing ulcers which should be confirmed by the laboratory investigations. Accurate diagnosis helps in specific management of these cases. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.19(1) 2020 p.94-97


2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 340-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan R Kroll ◽  
Ronald F Grossman

In certain parts of the United States and Canada, and northern Ontario in particular, the dimorphic fungusBlastomyces dermatitidisis endemic and can cause infection in exposed individuals. The site of infection is usually pulmonary, causing respiratory and constitutional symptoms, but can also affect other sites in the body. Symptom severity can vary substantially from no symptoms to fatal acute respiratory distress syndrome. The present report describes a 27-year-old professional diver who had recently worked in northern Ontario, who developed symptoms of pneumonia and exhibited atypical findings on chest imaging. He was diagnosed with blastomycosis based on histopathological findings and fungal culture, and was treated with amphotericin B and itraconazole in accordance with treatment guidelines. While outdoor occupations in endemic areas increase the risk of infection, there is no literature specifically identifying professional diving as an occupational risk for blastomycosis.


2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (14) ◽  
pp. 1533-1550 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jong-Eun Kim ◽  
Ki Won Lee

Skin is a protective organ and the largest of the human body. Due to its pivotal role in aesthetic appearance, skin health has a significant impact on quality of life. Chronic inflammation of the skin often marks the beginning of various skin diseases. Immune-mediated responses serve to protect the body from external insults and require succinct control, and can lead to ongoing cellular damage and various skin conditions if left unchecked. Studies have shown that phytochemicals can alter processes involved in skin inflammation and alleviate the effects of aging, cancer, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and vitiligo. Direct molecular targets of some phytochemicals have been identified and their precise mechanisms of action investigated. In this review, we summarize recent findings on the effects of phytochemicals on skin inflammation and the mechanisms of action involved.


Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 514
Author(s):  
Sullim Lee ◽  
Giang Do Hoang ◽  
Daeyoung Kim ◽  
Ho Sueb Song ◽  
Sungyoul Choi ◽  
...  

The skin is an important organ in the human body that protects the body from environmentally hazardous substances. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) cause inflammatory reactions and degradation of the extracellular matrix leading to skin aging and various cutaneous lesions. This study evaluated the potential of isoflavones isolated from Maclura tricuspidata fruit to prevent TNF-α-induced skin inflammation in normal human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). It focused on alpinumisoflavone (AIF) that suppressed the accumulation of ROS and nitric oxide (NO) in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-treated HDFs. AIF inhibited the TNF-α-induced increase in matrix metalloproteinase-1, decreased procollagen I α1, and suppressed pro-inflammatory mediators and pro-inflammatory cytokines, including NO synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 that trigger inflammatory responses. AIF inhibited nuclear factor-κB and activating protein 1 mitogen-activated protein kinases that were increased by TNF-α stimulation. These results suggest that AIF may protect skin from aging and various cutaneous lesions.


Author(s):  
Tatiana C R Senna ◽  
Maria Inês F Pimentel ◽  
Liliane F A Oliveira ◽  
Marcelo R Lyra ◽  
Mauricio N Saheki ◽  
...  

Abstract Background American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) is a neglected disease with wide territorial distribution. Knowledge is scarce in children and adolescents. This study aims to compare the clinical features and response to antimony treatment in pediatric and adult patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis. Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed with 659 patients who attended a reference centre in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 2000 to 2015. The pediatric cohort consisted of 131 (20%) patients and the adult cohort consisted of 528 (80%) patients. Results The epidemiological profile, antimony therapeutic response and incidence of adverse events (AE) were different in the pediatric cohort compared with the adult cohort. Mucosal form was less frequent in the pediatric cohort (RR:0.49, p=0.011). Lesions in the head, neck and trunk were more frequent in the pediatric cohort (RR:1.49, p=0.043). The effectiveness of antimony treatment was superior in the pediatric cohort (88.3% vs 76.6%) with a shorter healing time (RR:0.49, p=0.009). Pediatric patients had lower proportions of moderate to severe AE compared with adults (RR:0.45, p=0.027). Clinical AE predominated in the adult cohort (RR:0.40, p=0.000) and laboratory AE in the pediatric cohort (RR:1.50, p=0.023). Conclusions This study adds to the body of knowledge on differences that exist between different age groups in ATL.


2012 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 285-290
Author(s):  
Denisa Kovacs ◽  
Luiza Demian ◽  
Aurel Babeş

Abstract Objectives: The aim of the study was to calculate the prevalence rates and risk ofappearance of cutaneous lesions in diabetic patients with both type-1 and type-2diabetes. Material and Method: 384 patients were analysed, of which 47 had type-1diabetes (T1DM), 140 had type-2 diabetes (T2DM) and 197 were non-diabeticcontrols. Results: The prevalence of the skin lesions considered markers of diabeteswas 57.75% in diabetics, in comparison to 8.12% in non-diabetics (p<0.01). The riskof skin lesion appearance is over 7 times higher in diabetic patients than in nondiabetics.In type-1 diabetes the prevalence of skin lesions was significantly higherthan in type-2 diabetes, and the risk of skin lesion appearance is almost 1.5 timeshigher in type-1 diabetes than type-2 diabetes compared to non-diabetic controls.Conclusions: The diabetic patients are more susceptible than non-diabetics todevelop specific skin diseases. Patients with type-1 diabetes are more affected.


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