Hormographiella aspergillata keratomycosis in a dog

Vet Ophthalmol. 2009 Jan-Feb;12(1):43-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1463-5224.2009.00672.x.

Abstract

A 4-year-old, female, Border Collie was presented to the University of Bern Veterinary Teaching Hospital, because of a corneal lesion of 10 days duration. The axial cornea presented a whitish fluorescein-positive plaque with irregular margins. A diagnosis of keratomycosis was made based on cytology. Medical therapy with local broad-spectrum antibiotic and fluconazole was instituted. After 1 week of treatment, the improvement was deemed unsatisfactory. Therefore, a lamellar keratectomy and conjunctival pedicle flap were performed. After surgery, the cornea healed uneventfully. Histology confirmed the diagnosis of keratomycosis. The fungus could not be grown in culture and a precise etiological diagnosis could only be obtained with genetic identification of the fungus. A PCR technique was used to amplify the fungal genome from the cornea. Hormographiella aspergillata, the asexual reproductive form of the basidiomycete Coprinopsis cinerea, was identified. As advised in human medicine, we encourage the use of this molecular technique to obtain an early species diagnosis, allowing targeted medical therapy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antifungal Agents / therapeutic use
  • Colony Count, Microbial / veterinary
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Coprinus / drug effects
  • Coprinus / isolation & purification*
  • Cornea / microbiology
  • Cornea / pathology
  • Dog Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Dog Diseases / drug therapy
  • Dog Diseases / surgery
  • Dogs
  • Eye Infections, Fungal / diagnosis
  • Eye Infections, Fungal / drug therapy
  • Eye Infections, Fungal / surgery
  • Eye Infections, Fungal / veterinary*
  • Female
  • Fluconazole / therapeutic use
  • Keratitis / diagnosis
  • Keratitis / drug therapy
  • Keratitis / surgery
  • Keratitis / veterinary*
  • Mycoses / diagnosis
  • Mycoses / drug therapy
  • Mycoses / surgery
  • Mycoses / veterinary*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Fluconazole