Systemic mycosis due to Aspergillus deflectus in a dog

A 4-year-old, entire female, German Shepherd Dog was referred with a 3-mont h history of right foreleg lameness that partially responded to nonsteroida l anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial therapy. The bitch lost weight, was p olydipsic and had reduced exercise tolerance. On referral, the animal was i n poor condition, pyrexic and exhibited moderate pain on full extension of the right shoulder. Blood, urine and joint fluid were obtained and radiogra phs were taken of the right shoulder and chest. The bitch was lymphopaenic, hyperfibrinogenaemic, hyperglobulinaemic, mildly azotaemic, mildly protein uric and isosthenuric. Branching fungal hyphae were present in the urine. O n radiography, the thorax contained a large ventral mediastinal mass and th e humeral head had extensive areas of radiolucency. An aspirate from the ri ght humeroscapular joint exhibited branched fungal hyphae and numerous neut rophils and macrophages. A diagnosis of disseminated mycosis was made and e uthanasia was performed. At necropsy, numerous caseating granulomas were pr esent, especially in the kidneys, adrenal glands, heart and lymph nodes. Ex tensive osteomyelitis involved the head of the right humerus, the sternebra e and the fifth intervertebral disc. Fungal hyphae were detected in section s of granulomas in all affected organs and a diagnosis of disseminated fung al granulomatosis was made. Aspergillus deflectus was readily isolated from affected lymph nodes, but confirming its identity as A deflectus using sta ndard procedures proved difficult. The identity of the fungus was finally c onfirmed by sequencing part of the 185 rRNA of the isolate. This is the fir st report in Australia of a disseminated mycosis caused by A deflectus. Pre viously, the involvement of A deflectus as a cause of disseminated mycosis was limited to 5 cases from the West Coast of the USA, four of which occurr ed in German Shepherd Dogs.