Systemic mycosis caused by Trichophyton spp. in an olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea): An immunohistochemical study

Abstract

CASE HISTORY: A sub-adult female olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) was found floating off the coast of Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain.

CLINICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS: The turtle was lethargic and weak, and died one day after it was found. Necropsy was performed and selected samples of lung and liver were routinely processed for histopathological and immunohistological studies. Grossly, round, ulcerative lesions were observed on the rear flippers. The liver, spleen, coelomic wall, gastric serosa, lungs and urinary bladder were covered by various amounts of fibrin and small granulomas. Histopathologically, a severe fibrinous and granulomatous polyserositis (liver, spleen, stomach, urinary bladder, coelomic wall), severe fibrinous pleuritis and severe multifocal granulomatous pneumonia were diagnosed. Numerous fungal hyphae were observed associated with the lesions. Specific monoclonal and heterologously absorbed polyclonal antibodies served as the primary reagents for identification of aspergillosis, candidiasis, fusariosis, geotricosis, dermatophytosis, scedosporiosis, and zygomycosis. All hyphae were identified as Trichophyton spp., because a strong and uniform reactivity was obtained only with an heterologously absorbed polyclonal antibody raised against somatic antigens of Trichophyton spp.

DIAGNOSIS: Systemic mycosis caused by Trichophyton spp.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There are no known previous reports of Trichophyton spp. causing skin disease or systemic mycotic infection in sea turtles. The usefulness of immunohistochemistry for identifying fungi in sea turtles is reinforced.

KEY WORDS:

• Immunohistochemistry
• Lepidochelys olivacea
• mycosis
• olive ridley
• sea turtle
• Trichophyton spp

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank P Castro, Department of Morphology, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, for technical assistance, and S Tucker, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, for help with the bibliographical research. Funding for this paper was partially provided by the autonomic project PI 2007/044, ACIISI, Gobierno de Canarias.