1. Histoplasmosis in Animals: Causes, Clinical Signs, and Treatment 2. Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection caused by Hi

1. HISTOPLASMOSIS Unit-5 (Medicine) Dr. Anil Kumar Associate Professor Department of Vet. Medicine BVC, BASU, Patna

2. Histoplasmosis Introduction: • Histoplasmosis, caused by Histoplasma capsulatum is a fungal infection of animals and people • Soil containing nitrogen-rich organic matter such as excrements in avian and bat habitats favors the growth • It produces mycelial growth- in the soil and in culture, and in a yeast form in tissues and in cultures at 37°C Host affected: • Uncommon to rare in all animal species but dogs and cats are commonly affected • Humans are also affected • Inhalation is supposed to be the primary mode of entry of H. capsulatum var. capsulatum • Ingestion of infective material

3. Clinical Signs: • Chronic diarrhea (often with hematochezia or melena) and wasting (weight loss, lethargy, weakness, pale mucous membranes) are common clinical signs • Protein-losing enteropathy Cat: • Chronic and nonspecific despite severe disseminated disease • Weakness, lethargy, emaciation, and fever , respiratory signs including dyspnea, tachypnea or coughing • Ocular signs , and skeletal involvement had lameness or swelling of one or more limbs Dog: • Chronic diarrhea (often with hematochezia or melena) and wasting (weight loss, lethargy, weakness, pale mucous membranes) are common clinical signs • Other clinical signs include anorexia, vomiting, intermittent lameness or reluctance to move and dyspnea • Sometimes multiple granulomatous or ulcerated cutaneous or gingival lesions

4. Diagnosis: • Physical Examination Findings • Clinico-pathologicAbnormalities  In cats and dogs, hematologic abnormalities include anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, or combinations of these changes  Anaemia- normocytic, normochromic, and non-regenerative • Serum biochemical analyses:  Often are within reference ranges even with chronic disease  In Cats and dogs -hypoalbuminemia, hyperglobulinemia, and azotemia  Hyperbilirubinemia, and increased activities of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase, and/or alkaline phosphatase • Radiography:  Dogs with pulmonary histoplasmosis are a bronchointerstitial or interstitial lung pattern and hilar lymphadenopathy  Alveolar or nodular interstitial lung patterns , pleural effusion and sternal lymphadenopathy are less frequently  Cats with pulmonary histoplasmosis include fine, diffuse or linear interstitial, or broncho-interstitial infiltrates, diffuse miliary or nodular interstitial infiltrates and alveolar infiltrates

5. Treatment: Itraconazole, in dogs @10 mg/kg PO q 12 to 24 hours for a minimum of 4 to 6 • months and in cats, 5 mg/kg P Oq 12 hours for 60 to 130 days Fluconazole @2.5-5 mg/kg Po q 12-24 hours for at least 4-6 months may be a • better choice for ocular and neurologic histoplasmosis because of better penetration compared with itraconazole In chronic pulmonary histoplasmosis (Coughing)-prednisone, 2 mg/kg PO q24 • for 6 wks