SPOROTRICHOSIS IN A HORSE - A CASE-REPORT

A 9-year old male Arabian horse was referred to the Department of Larg e Animal Surgery of the University of Utrecht because of multiple nodu les on the inner side of the right hind leg. The nodules seemed to fol low a cutaneolymphatic pattern. Histopathology of a nodule showed a gr anulomatous inflammation with the presence of multinucleated giant cel ls. In PAS- and Grocott-stained sections, spheroid yeast-like organism s with some budding were found throughout the tissue. A preliminary di agnosis of sporotrichosis was made. A fresh nodule was cultured and th e presence of Sporothrix c.f. schenckii was confirmed. Antifungal ther apy was started, which stopped the extension of the granulomata. Sporo trichosis is a rare disease in Europe, but it is quite common in the s outhern part of the U.S.A.