Abstract
Two 6-month-old raccoon kits, which had been rescued and fostered in preparation for return to the wild, became acutely ill and died 3 weeks before scheduled release. At necropsy, the kits had grossly enlarged livers and spleens, diffusely consolidated lungs, and generalized lymphadenopathy. Histologically, extensive infiltrates of macrophages containing yeast organisms were identified in lung, liver, kidney, spleen, lymph nodes, intestinal tissues, brain, adrenal gland, bone marrow, and thymus of both animals. Histiocytic inflammation with accompanying fibrosis was widespread, with necrotic foci evident in lungs, spleen, and intestinal sections. Fungal organisms were observed on sheep blood agar plates; however, repeated subcultures to fungal media designed to induce conidial structures for fungal identification were unsuccessful. Partial DNA sequencing of the 28S ribosomal RNA gene of the blood agar isolate identified 100% homology with Ajellomyces capsulatus (anamorphic name Histoplasma capsulatum). The kits were rescued and fostered in the San Francisco Bay area and it is likely that the exposure to H. capsulatum occurred in this area. Histoplasma sp. infection in wild mammal species is often used as an indication of spore contamination of a geographic region. Northern California is not known to be an endemic region for H. capsulatum, which is not a reportable disease in this state. The presence of severe, disseminated disease and the need for molecular identification associated with the isolate from a nonendemic region identified in the present report may indicate genetic adaptation and altered characteristics of this agent and may warrant further investigation.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 297-301 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2014 |
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Keywords
- Histoplasma capsulatum
- Procyon lotor
- raccoon kits
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- veterinary(all)
- Medicine(all)
Cite this
Disseminated histoplasmosis in two juvenile raccoons (Procyon lotor) from a nonendemic region of the United States. / Clothier, Kristin A; Villanueva, Michelle; Torain, Andrea; Reinl, Steve; Barr, Bradd.
In: Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, Vol. 26, No. 2, 2014, p. 297-301.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Disseminated histoplasmosis in two juvenile raccoons (Procyon lotor) from a nonendemic region of the United States
AU - Clothier, Kristin A
AU - Villanueva, Michelle
AU - Torain, Andrea
AU - Reinl, Steve
AU - Barr, Bradd
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Two 6-month-old raccoon kits, which had been rescued and fostered in preparation for return to the wild, became acutely ill and died 3 weeks before scheduled release. At necropsy, the kits had grossly enlarged livers and spleens, diffusely consolidated lungs, and generalized lymphadenopathy. Histologically, extensive infiltrates of macrophages containing yeast organisms were identified in lung, liver, kidney, spleen, lymph nodes, intestinal tissues, brain, adrenal gland, bone marrow, and thymus of both animals. Histiocytic inflammation with accompanying fibrosis was widespread, with necrotic foci evident in lungs, spleen, and intestinal sections. Fungal organisms were observed on sheep blood agar plates; however, repeated subcultures to fungal media designed to induce conidial structures for fungal identification were unsuccessful. Partial DNA sequencing of the 28S ribosomal RNA gene of the blood agar isolate identified 100% homology with Ajellomyces capsulatus (anamorphic name Histoplasma capsulatum). The kits were rescued and fostered in the San Francisco Bay area and it is likely that the exposure to H. capsulatum occurred in this area. Histoplasma sp. infection in wild mammal species is often used as an indication of spore contamination of a geographic region. Northern California is not known to be an endemic region for H. capsulatum, which is not a reportable disease in this state. The presence of severe, disseminated disease and the need for molecular identification associated with the isolate from a nonendemic region identified in the present report may indicate genetic adaptation and altered characteristics of this agent and may warrant further investigation.
AB - Two 6-month-old raccoon kits, which had been rescued and fostered in preparation for return to the wild, became acutely ill and died 3 weeks before scheduled release. At necropsy, the kits had grossly enlarged livers and spleens, diffusely consolidated lungs, and generalized lymphadenopathy. Histologically, extensive infiltrates of macrophages containing yeast organisms were identified in lung, liver, kidney, spleen, lymph nodes, intestinal tissues, brain, adrenal gland, bone marrow, and thymus of both animals. Histiocytic inflammation with accompanying fibrosis was widespread, with necrotic foci evident in lungs, spleen, and intestinal sections. Fungal organisms were observed on sheep blood agar plates; however, repeated subcultures to fungal media designed to induce conidial structures for fungal identification were unsuccessful. Partial DNA sequencing of the 28S ribosomal RNA gene of the blood agar isolate identified 100% homology with Ajellomyces capsulatus (anamorphic name Histoplasma capsulatum). The kits were rescued and fostered in the San Francisco Bay area and it is likely that the exposure to H. capsulatum occurred in this area. Histoplasma sp. infection in wild mammal species is often used as an indication of spore contamination of a geographic region. Northern California is not known to be an endemic region for H. capsulatum, which is not a reportable disease in this state. The presence of severe, disseminated disease and the need for molecular identification associated with the isolate from a nonendemic region identified in the present report may indicate genetic adaptation and altered characteristics of this agent and may warrant further investigation.
KW - Histoplasma capsulatum
KW - Procyon lotor
KW - raccoon kits
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84898897275&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84898897275&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1040638714521207
DO - 10.1177/1040638714521207
M3 - Article
C2 - 24557751
AN - SCOPUS:84898897275
VL - 26
SP - 297
EP - 301
JO - Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation
JF - Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation
SN - 1040-6387
IS - 2
ER -