Ochroconis Gallopavum Research Articles

Ochroconis Gallopavum Infection in a Lung Transplant Recipient: Report of a Case

Disseminated phaeohyphomycoses are rare infections caused by dematiaceous fungi. Ochroconis gallopavum is a neurotropic dematiaceous mold responsible for life-threatening respiratory and central nervous system infections in domestic poultry and in immunologically compromised humans. The world literature describes only 13 previous O gallopavum infections in solid organ transplant recipients. We report herein an O gallopavum phaeohyphomycosis with involvement of skin in a transplant recipient. A 69-year-old white man with a history of bilateral lung transplantation 6 years ago presented with acute onset of severe respiratory distress. Chest X-ray showed no evidence of pneumonia. Lung function showed bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome. Excision biopsy was performed because of a suspected pigmented basal cell carcinoma. Histopathology revealed dermal granulomatous dermatitis, focally suppurative, dominated by epitheloid cells with brownish round fungi. Further microbiological work-up of the biopsy specimen subsequently revealed O gallopavum as the causative organism. No brain involvement was observed. Antimycotic therapy with voriconazole 200 mg twice a day was immediately initiated and the patient was treated for 3 months. Additional intravenous therapy with tobramycin and imipenem was started upon detection of Enterobacter clocae and Enterococci in the sputum. The patient recovered during the next few weeks and was discharged on day 26.

Successful Treatment of Ochroconis gallopavum Infection in an Immunocompetent Host

Ochroconis gallopavum, a dematiaceous fungus, is a rare cause disease in immunocompromised patients and epidemic encephalitis in poultry. We report the first case of active O. gallopavum pulmonary infection in an immunocompetent host with rapid and complete response to oral antifungal therapy.

Fatal Systemic Phaeohyphomycosis Caused by Ochroconis gallopavum in a Dog (Canis familaris)

A 5-year-old Shetland Sheepdog was presented with a history of weakness, ataxia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and occasional seizures. The dog had been treated for 6 months with prednisone for inflammatory bowel disease. A positive titer for Ehrlichia canis was detected 6 months before referral. The initial physical examination revealed a weak, laterally recumbent dog with pale mucous membranes. Neurologic examination revealed multiple neurologic deficits. A complete blood cell count (CBC) revealed normochromic, normocytic, nonregenerative anemia; lymphopenia; thrombocytopenia; and neutrophilic and monocytic leukocytosis. Urinalysis revealed proteinuria, with a specific gravity of 1.045. The dog was unresponsive to treatment and died. At necropsy, there was severe serofibrinous peritonitis and pleuritis, with randomly scattered dark brown necrotic foci present in multiple organs, including liver, spleen, kidney, and pancreatic lymph node. Histologically, there were extensive regions of parenchymal necrosis surrounded by neutrophils admixed with epithelioid macrophages, lymphocytes, and pigmented fungal organisms. Numerous brown, 2 to 6 microm in diameter, septate, branching hyphae, subsequently identified as Ochroconis gallopavum (formerly Dactylaria constricta var. gallopava), were observed.

Disseminated phaeohyphomycosis due toOchroconis gallopavumin the setting of advanced HIV infection

Disseminated phaeohyphomycosis is a rare and typically fatal infection caused by members of the dematiaceous fungi, and occurs almost universally in the setting of immunocompromise. We herein report a case of systemic phaeohyphomycosis caused by Ochroconis gallopavum in a patient with advanced HIV disease. A possible risk factor for this infection in our patient was heavy marijuana use. This case highlights both the diagnostic and management challenges posed by these infections. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of disseminated phaeohyphomycosis due to Ochroconis gallopavum in a patient with HIV.

OCHROCONIS GALLOPAVUM INFECTION IN AN IMMUNOCOMPETENT HOST

INTRODUCTION: Ochroconis gallopavum (formerly Dactylaria gallopava) is a dematiaceous fungi which is an increasingly prevalent opportunistic infection in the immunosuppressed population. However, few reports exist of infections in immunocompetent hosts. We report the treatment of O. gallopavum infection in an immunocompetent host with voriconazole.

Disseminated Ochroconis gallopavum Infection in a Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Case Report and Review of the Literature on Hematological Malignancies

Disseminated fungal infection is an important cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with hematological malignancies. Ochroconis gallopavum is a dematiaceous and thermotolerant fungus that causes opportunistic infections in immunocompromised hosts. About only 30 cases of this organism infection have been reported worldwide. We report a disseminated Ochroconis gallopavum infection in a B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia patient. In spite of intensive anti-fungal treatment, no improvement in the clinical condition was observed and the patient died 4 months after diagnosis of the infection. Ochroconis gallopavum infection is a potentially fatal disease in hematological malignancies.

Ochroconis gallopavum and Mycobacterium Avium Intracellulare in an immunocompetent patient

INTRODUCTION: Ochroconis gallopavum is a rare fungal infection. It is commonly reported in the veterinary literature as a cause of neurological infections in birds. Human infections are attributed to an opportunistic infection in the immunocompromised host. This is a case of an immunocompetent patient with Ochroconis gallopavum infection.

Multiple Lung Abscesses Due to Ochroconis gallopavum, a Dematiaceous Fungus, in a Nonimmunocompromised Wood Pulp Worker

An occurrence of multiple chronic lung abscesses managed by lobectomy is described. These abscesses were present for 13 years in the patient, a nonimmunocompromised wood pulp worker. The patient had hemoptysis at presentation. The organism isolated was Ochroconis gallopavum, a dematiaceous fungus known to cause disease in immunocompromised patients and epidemic encephalitis in poultry. The fungus is typically found in warm environments and in decaying compost; for this reason, we postulate that his illness was occupationally acquired.

Fatal encephalitis caused byOchroconis gallopavumin a domestic cat (Felis domesticus)

Ochroconis gallopavum was identified as the causal agent of fatal encephalitis in a young, short-hair, domestic cat. The cat initially developed an ulcerated mass on the left side of the tongue and signs of pain in the abdomen. The tongue lesion was surgically removed and exploratory abdominal surgery revealed abnormalities suggestive of pancreatitis and peritonitis. During the month after surgery, the cat's health declined, manifested by sluggishness, loss of appetite and abnormal behaviour. Following a final rapid deterioration, the cat became non-responsive and was euthanized. Histologic examination of the brain, lung and mediastinal lymph node lesions revealed large numbers of pigmented, septate, branched, hyphal elements with swollen intercalary and terminal vesicles, and short chains of moniliform hyphal cells. Cultures of the mediastinal lymph nodes yielded a dematiaceous, thermotolerant fungus that was identified as O. gallopavum. This report describes the first well-documented infection in a cat caused by O. gallopavum.

Phaeohyphomycotic brain abscess due toOchroconis gallopavumin a patient with malignant lymphoma of a large cell type

A 60-year-old man with a 9-year history of malignant lymphoma developed an initial pulmonary infection with Nocardia asteroides which later disseminated to the central nervous system with multiple brain abscesses. He was treated successfully with intravenous trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for 6 weeks. A follow-up computed tomography (CT) scan showed complete resolution of the abscesses. Two years later, he returned to the hospital with a 2-week history of confusion, loss of concentration, ataxia, and leaning to the left. A CT scan revealed an enhancing multiloculated complex right frontal lesion. Craniotomy revealed a large right frontal lobe abscess, which was totally resected. Histopathologic examination of the resected tissue revealed multiple, lightly pigmented, septate, branched hyphal elements typical of phaeohyphomycosis. The fungal isolate cultured from the tissue was a dematiaceous, thermotolerant fungus that was identified as Ochroconis gallopavum. Despite treatment with amphotericin B, flucytosine and fluconazole, the patient gradually deteriorated and died. This case represents the third fatal infection, the second from the southeastern United States, due to O. gallopavum.

Subcutaneous abscesses caused byOchroconis gallopavum

A subcutaneous fungus infection that occurred in a patient with an acute myeloblastic leukemia was found to be caused by Ochroconis gallopavum (Dactylaria gallopava). In histological sections dematiaceous, septate hyphae were present. A darkly pigmented fungus was isolated on Sabouraud glucose medium. The mycological features of the causative agent were typical of O. gallopavum. The patient died after 6 months of treatment with antileukemic drugs and 5-fluorocytosine. At autopsy, tissue sections revealed leukemic infiltrates in most of the internal organs but fungal invasion was not detected.