Abstract
An 8-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair cat was presented with a chief complaint of chronic nasal discharge and dyspnea. Physical examination revealed pyohemorrhagic nasal discharge, inspiratory dyspnea and stertor, and an enlarged right mandibular lymph node. Abnormalities of blood works and serum chemistry included mildly increased hematocrit, and globulin concentration. Serologic tests for FeLV and FIV, and a panel of polymerase chain reaction tests for Chlamydophila felis, Feline Calicivirus, Herpesvirus, Bordetella, Mycoplasma felis, and H1N1 influenza was all negative. Only radiographic finding showed increasing soft tissue density in the right nasal cavity and computed tomography disclosed soft tissue/fluid opacification in the right nasal cavity, paranasal sinus, and pharyinx along with slight deviation to the right of the osseous nasal septum. Focal lysis of ventral nasal septum was also suspected in CT scan. Cytological evaluation of fine needle aspirate smears of the enlarged mandibular lymph nodes revealed numerous fungal yeasts having variably thick capsule both extracellularly and intracellularly with low numbers of macrophages. Some yeasts showed narrow based budding, which was a consistent finding with Cryptococcus organisms. Serum protein electrophoresis was a polyclonal consistent with chronic infection and serum was submitted for a fungal serology panel test. In serologic tests Cryptococcus antigen titer was 1 : 32,768. In vitro culture was unsuccessful. Treatment was initiated with administration of fluconazole, clindamycin, and tocopherol. Clinical signs resolved within 3 days after the initial treatment. The cat was discharged and scheduled for periodic evaluation and continued therapy, but was lost to follow-up thereafter.
8세 중성화 암컷 고양이가 만성 비강 삼출과 호흡곤란으로 내원하였다. 신체검사에서 오른쪽 비강의 출혈농성 삼출이 관찰되었고, 흡기성 호흡곤란과 코골기 증상, 종대된 오른쪽 하악 림프절이 확인되었다. 전혈검사와 혈청화학 검사에서 미약하게 증가한 헤마토크리트 값과 고글로불린혈증이 나타났으며, 혈청학적 및 PCR 기법을 이용한FeLV, FIV, Chlamydophila felis, Feline Calicivirus, Herpesvirus, Bordetella, Mycoplasma felis, H1N1 influenza 검사에서는 모두 음성이었다. 방사선 검사에서는 오른쪽 비강의 연조직 밀도 상승이 관찰되었고, CT촬영에서는 비중격의 위축과 골 용해가 확인되었다. 추가 검사로 실시한 하악 림프절 세포학 검사에서는 다양한 두께의 염색이 안 되는 협막을 갖는 곰팡이가 관찰되었으며, narrow based budding을 보이는 곰팡이도 관찰되어 크립토코쿠스 감염증으로 잠정진단하였다. 혈청학적 검사에서 크립토코쿠스 항원가는 1 : 32,768로 매우 높게 나왔다. 검사결과에 기초해서 곰팡이 감염 치료를 위해 fluconazole, clindamycin, tocopherol투여를 실시했으며 약물 투여 후 3일 이내에 환자의 증상은 극적으로 개선되었다. 장기적인 관찰과 추가 항원역가 검사를 실시하고자 하였으나 환자는 증상 개선 후 퇴원하여 재 내원하지 않았다.
