Author/Authors :
Papadogiannakis, Emmanouil I. Department of Veterinary Public Health - National School of Public Health, Athens, Greece , Velonakis, Emmanouil N. Department of Applied Microbiology and Immunology - National School of Public Health, Athens, Greece , Spanakos, Gregory K. Department of Parasitology Entomology and Tropical Diseases - National School of Public Health, Athens, Greece , Koutinas, Alexander F. Quality Veterinary Practice, Volos, Greece
Abstract :
Prototheca wickerhamii is ubiquitous, saprophytic achlorophyllous algae that cause opportunistic infections in the dog and cat and
disseminated disease usually in immunocompromised animals. In this report an uncommon case of canine cutaneous protothecosis
is presented. A 6-year-old female boxer was brought in with skin lesions that consisted of nodules and generalized footpad
hyperkeratosis, depigmentation, and erosion. Cytology and histopathology showed pyogranulomatous inflammation along with
organisms containing round sporangia with spherical sporangiospores. PCR and sequencing identified the causal organism as
Prototheca wickerhamii. Therapy applied in this patient with either fluconazole alone or combination of amphotericin B and
itraconazole proved effective only for footpad lesions but not for skin nodules. Systemic therapy seems to be ineffective for skin
nodules, at least in chronic cases of canine cutaneous protothecosis. Although canine protothecosis usually presents with the
disseminated form, cutaneous disease as sole clinical manifestation of the infection may also be witnessed.