USA: Pythium insidiosum

[Emily]

This website was created by an owner who lost a dog to Pythiosis and wants to educate others about the illness. (A chronic GI form of the illness is said to be more common than the cutaneous/subcutaneous form in dogs.)

PYTHIOSIS IN DOGS

Pythiosis is not an infectious disease transmitted from dog to dog or dog to human, so there are no requirements to report cases to the CDC. Canine Pythiosis has risen drastically in the United States since Rusti died in 2006.

Cats can get this, too. This was a GI infection:

J Vet Diagn Invest 17:262?269 (2005); Gastrointestinal pythiosis in two cats in the southeastern United States

Story of a pony that was diagnosed in TX:

I am deeply sad and filled with grief as I report to you that dear, sweet little Saint Nick passed away early October 2011 at Dr. Jolly's hospital in Arkansas.

SAINT NICK'S STORY:
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Saint Nick is an American Shetland Pony. He is between 12 to 15 years old. Nick was an owner surrender. The owner wanted to have him shot. Nick has a severe foot injury that has been terribly neglected and now Nick's life is at stake...his leg is infected with a horrible, and potentially fatal fungus called Pythiosis....

 

[Emily]

Re: USA: Pythium insidiosum

http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/13693786.2011.588970

Vulvar pythiosis in two captive camels (Camelus dromedarius)

February 2012, Vol. 50, No. 2 , Pages 219-224

Ricardo Videla*, Sarel van Amstel*, Sarah H. O'neill*, Linda A. Frank*, Shelley J. Newman*, Raquel Vilela? & Leonel Mendoza??
*College of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Tennessee,
Knoxville, Tennessee
?Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics
?Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing,
Michigan
, USA

Two camels (Camelus dromedarius), 3- and 4-years-old, respectively, from an eastern Tennessee wildlife farm presented with persistent weight loss and large vulvar masses. An initial biopsy of the vulvar mass of one of the camels performed by a local veterinarian showed eosinophilic dermatitis. An allergic or parasitic dermatitis was suspected. The two camels were treated with one dose of sodium iodide (66 mg/kg, in 1.0 L of normosolR, IV) and ivermectin 1% (200 ug/kg PO). Upon presentation at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Tennessee, additional biopsies of the masses again revealed eosinophilic dermatitis. Microscopic examination of a Gomori methenamine silver (GMS)-stained section prepared from the biopsy of one of the camels revealed the presence of fungal-like hyphae of a mold which was suspected to be Pythium insidiosum. The vulvar masses were surgically debulked in both animals and sodium iodide and Pythium-immunotherapy prescribed. Pythium insidiosum was isolated in culture and hyphae elements were detected in histological sections confirming the diagnosis of pythiosis in both animals. Despite signs of progressive healing of the vulvar surgical areas, postoperative persistent weight lost in one of the camels suggested the possibility of gastro intestinal (GI) tract pythiosis. This camel died 5 months after the first onset of clinical signs and unfortunately a necropsy was not performed. The other camel responded well to the combination of surgery, iodides, and immunotherapy and has currently rejoined the other members of the herd.



Read More: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/13693786.2011.588970