303
Views
12
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Clinical Communication

Presumptive Nocardia spp. infection in a dog treated with cyclosporin and ketoconazole

, &
Pages 265-268 | Received 05 Jan 2010, Accepted 03 Aug 2010, Published online: 16 Feb 2011
 

Abstract

CASE HISTORY: A dog that had received 8 months of cyclosporin and ketoconazole therapy for treatment of atopic dermatitis subsequently developed severe neurological disease, that failed to respond to treatment with trimethoprim-sulphadiazine and clindamycin.

HISTOPATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS: Histopathological examination of the pulmonary parenchyma and spinal cord revealed loose aggregates of Gram-positive, partially acid-fast, fine, beaded, filamentous bacteria, most consistent with Nocardia spp.

DIAGNOSIS: A presumptive diagnosis was made of disseminated nocardiosis of the spinal cord and lungs.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Nocardia spp. is an opportunistic actinomycete that may cause disseminated disease, particularly in immunocompromised animals. Cyclosporin is used in veterinary medicine to control immune-mediated and allergic disorders, with few reported adverse side effects. This case gives further evidence that involvement of the spinal cord in nocardiosis of the central nervous system (CNS) carries a poor prognosis, and opportunistic infection by Nocardia spp. may be a potential complication of immunosuppressive cyclosporin therapy in the dog.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr Anika Oksa in the Anatomical Pathology Department for interpretation of histopathology specimens, Radiology Department for interpretation of computed tomographic images, and Clinical Pathology Department for photography of slide preparations, of Murdoch University.

Log in via your institution

Log in to Taylor & Francis Online

PDF download + Online access

  • 48 hours access to article PDF & online version
  • Article PDF can be downloaded
  • Article PDF can be printed
USD 61.00 Add to cart

Issue Purchase

  • 30 days online access to complete issue
  • Article PDFs can be downloaded
  • Article PDFs can be printed
USD 213.00 Add to cart

* Local tax will be added as applicable

Related Research

People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read.

Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine.

Cited by lists all citing articles based on Crossref citations.
Articles with the Crossref icon will open in a new tab.